Abstract when inappropriately carried out, management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) may potentially damage the environment and affect the health of workers. The identification and evaluation of environmental and occupational health risks are essential tools in the prevention of accidents and environmental protection. Despite extensive regulation, WEEE management organizations in Brazil fail to recognize the importance of appropriately address risks associated with their processes and activities. This study developed and tested a methodology to analyze environmental and occupational health risks. The aim was to produce a tool to help WEEE management organizations in decision-making in high priority scenarios. The results show that most environmental impacts and occupational risks classified as significant are associated with the production processes sorting and disassembly of WEEE. However, potential environmental impacts are associated with the transportation of WEEE and coproducts. Accident risks represented 69% of the sum of all risk levels associated with occupational health.

The data is the full results of surveys of stakeholders in the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) value chain conducted as part of the Horizon 2020 funded C-SERVEES project.

The purpose of the survey was to provide guidance for the successful implementation of circularity in the EEE sector, specifically to develop circular economy business plans for four items of equipment: printers (inc. toner cartridges); washing machines; televisions; and network monitoring equipment. The survey aimed to capture data on:

Circular economy awareness;

Current practices relating to circular economy; and

Circular economy opportunities, barriers and enablers.

Investigation of opportunities, barriers and enablers focused on technical, economic, socio-cultural, regulatory and environmental themes. In addition, background information was also collected to enable some of the attributes of the respondent to be recorded. This included: country; city, years of experience in the industry as well as, in the household users’ survey, age and education level.

The stakeholder groups surveyed are noted below, these being the key EEE supply chain actors. A separate dataset is available for each.

Designers of EEE

Suppliers to manufacturers of EEE

Manufacturers of EEE

EEE Retailers

Business users of EEE

Household users of EEE

Waste EEE handlers

A project report analysing the results of the survey is available: Guidelines for circular economic models in the E&E sector . A journal article outlining the subsequent development of the circular economy business models is also available: A circular economy business model innovation process for the electrical and electronic equipment sector.

IT Asset Disposition Market size was valued at USD 14.2 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 22.7 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030.

Global IT Asset Disposition Market Drivers

The market drivers for the IT Asset Disposition Market can be influenced by various factors. These may include:

Growing Uptake of IoT and Cloud Computing: IT assets are often upgraded and replaced due to the widespread adoption of cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), and digital transformation projects by enterprises around. This increases the requirement for ITAD services by generating a need for the appropriate disposal and recycling of old or obsolete IT equipment.

Tight Regulatory Compliance: Organizations must implement responsible ITAD procedures in order to comply with strict environmental laws and regulations pertaining to the disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) and data security. Organizations are encouraged to work with certified ITAD vendors when they comply with regulations like the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and other industry-specific standards.

Data Security Concerns: Organizations place a high priority on data security and privacy throughout the lifecycle of IT assets due to the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats. The danger of identity theft, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance related to retired IT assets is reduced with the help of ITAD providers' certified data erasure, secure data destruction, and proper data sanitization services.

Cost Savings and Income Creation: Through asset recovery, remarketing, and the resale of refurbished IT equipment, ITAD services provide chances for both cost savings and income creation. By redeploying, refurbishing, and reselling retired assets, organizations can maximize the return on investment (ROI) of IT assets and offset the cost of new IT investments.

Initiatives for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): CSR initiatives encourage businesses to implement environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, such as recycling and properly disposing of IT equipment. With ITAD services, businesses may extend the lifecycle of IT equipment through reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal, minimizing their environmental impact, reducing electronic waste (e-waste), and supporting the principles of the circular economy.

Technological Obsolescence and Rapid Technological improvements: In the IT industry, product obsolescence and rapid technological improvements lead to the regular retirement and replacement of IT assets. In order to stay competitive, organizations are upgrading to newer hardware platforms, software programs, and technologies; this has created a demand for effective ITAD solutions to manage end-of-life assets and guarantee smooth technology transfers.

Emphasis on Asset Lifecycle Management: In order to maximize asset usage, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), and decrease operational risks, organizations are realizing the value of comprehensive asset lifecycle management strategies. ITAD services are essential to retirement planning, asset disposition, and end-of-life asset management plans because they help companies optimize asset value over the course of their asset lifecycle and ease asset decommissioning procedures.

Globalization and Outsourcing Trends: These trends—which include outsourcing, offshoring, and globalization—lead to dispersed labor locations and distributed IT infrastructures, which create difficult asset management problems. Organizations may effectively manage the disposal of IT assets across many locations, countries, and jurisdictions by utilizing centralized ITAD solutions and the worldwide service capabilities provided by ITAD suppliers. This ensures compliance with local rules and data protection requirements.

Emergence of Circular Economy Initiatives: In an effort to reduce waste and resource consumption, end-of-life products and materials are encouraged to be reused, refurbished, and recycled. ITAD services contribute to resource conservation and environmental sustainability by prolonging the lifecycle of IT assets through remanufacturing, refurbishing, and sustainable recycling methods. This aligns with the ideas of the circular economy.

Impact of the COVID-19 epidemic: Cloud migration plans, remote work acceptance, and digital transformation activities have all increased amongst enterprises globally as a result of the epidemic. As a result, there is a greater need for ITAD services to effectively manage surplus and decommissioned IT assets in response to shifting business needs and the demands of a remote workforce. This has also increased equipment renewal cycles and IT asset turnover.