Electrical and Electronic Waste in Northwest Mexico

Sara Ojeda-Benitez, Samantha E. Cruz-Sotelo, Luis Velázquez, Néstor Santillán-Soto, Margarito Quintero Nuñez, O. Rafael García Cueto, Will Markus

Engineering Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico.
Faculty of Engineering, Autonomous Univer- sity of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico.
University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Gorlitz, Zittau, Germany.
University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico.

DOI: 10.4236/jep.2013.45048                

Abstract

The waste derived from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is of interest now worldwide, in some countries due to the rapid technological development and in others due to technological dependence through the acquisition of second hand equipment. Therefore it is necessary to implement strategies for the sustainable management of electrical and electronic equipment at the end of its useful life. This paper presents the results of an investigation that was conducted in a city located in the Northwest of Mexico, which seeks to understand the management practices of household WEEE generators. A survey was applied to a representative sample of the population with a confidence level of 90%. Six home appliances were quantified and it was found that approximately 21% of them are disposed directly as part of the household flow of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), while 79% are storage for a latter sale, repair or reuse. The results obtained support the need to develop evaluations and to implement possible scenarios for the sustainable management of Electrical and Electronic Waste.

Keywords

Electrical and Electronic Waste; Electronic Manufacturing Sector; Management Practices

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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