Green Product Management

Product Recycling

Technological advancements continually propel the evolution of new IT products that bring convenience to people’s lives in their workplace, entertainment, and leisure. From another perspective, the rapid replacement of products is resulting in the generation of large amounts of waste electronics and electrical products. The present problem of treating waste electronic and electrical products has already become among the most pressing international environmental protection issues. It is also a major environmental protection concern at Acer.

In the past, most waste electronic and electrical products were not treated; instead, they were usually burned or buried, causing serious environmental damage. Acer believes its responsibility extends beyond the design, manufacture, and sale of products, to include the recycling of discarded products. Confronting this issue, based on the precautionary principle and Acer supports the concept of Individual Producer Responsibility and include into a “recyclable, easily disassemble, low-pollution, energy saving” green design concept of easy-recycling. Therefore, when we do right things of environmental protection at design consideration and well planning carefully. Minimized the risk of the pollution and hazards on the product life cycle.

Response to the European Union WEEE Directive

The European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive entered into force on August 13, 2005. The Directive focuses on the precautionary prevention of the impact of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and in addition, the reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery of such wastes so as to raise the ratio of resource regeneration and to abate the environmental damage by such waste products. Furthermore, responsibilities for the environmental improvement are given to the operators involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment, e.g. producers, distributors, consumers and operators for WEEE treatment, as to improve environmental performance.

Acer’s products are marketed in various European countries. Based on the extended producers’ responsibilities for recycling and compliance with the EU’s WEEE Directive and each nation’s regulations, Acer has initiated the planning for recycling of waste products and has joined the local recycling systems in European countries. Therefore, for customers who wish to declare any IT products unserviceable, we advise them to contact qualified local recyclers to ensure proper waste treatment.

  • Product design

Member States shall encourage the designer and producer to provide electrical and electronic equipments of easy disassemble and recycling. In this context, Member States shall take appropriate measures so that producers do not prevent, through specific design features or manufacturing processes, WEEE from being reused, unless such specific design features or manufacturing processes present overriding advantages, for example, with regard to the protection of the environment and/or safety requirements.

Acer supports the concept of Individual Producer Responsibility and believes that this will place “easily recyclable design considerations” as an important feedback mechanism directly reflected in product design. In this phase of product design, Acer continues to work toward easy-disassemble product designs. See Easy Disassemble Design.

  • Treatment

According to WEEE Annex II, as a minimum, 15 items of substances, preparations and components shown in the following table have to be removed from any separately collected WEEE:

No.

Substances, preparations and components to be removed according to WEEE Annex II

1

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) containing capacitors in accordance with Council Directive 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT)

2

Mercury containing components such as switches or backlighting lamps

3

Batteries

4

Printed circuit boards of mobile phones generally and of other devices if the surface of the printed circuit board is greater than 10cm2  

5

Toner cartridges liquid and pasty as well as colour toner

6

Plastic containing brominated flame retardants

7

Asbestos waste and components which contain asbestos

8

Cathode ray tubes

9

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) or hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) hydrocarbons (HC)

10

Gas discharge lamps

11

Liquid crystal displays (together with their casing where appropriate) of a surface greater than 100 square centimetres and all those back-lighted with gas discharge lamps

12

External electric cables

13

Components containing refractory ceramic fibres as described in Commission Directive 97/69/EC of 5 December 1997 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 67/548/EEC relating to the classification packaging and labeling of dangerous substances

14

Components containing radioactive substances with the exception of components that are below the exemption thresholds set in Article 3 of and Annex I to Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of May 13, 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against dangers arising from ionizing radiation

15

Electrolyte capacitors containing substances of concern (height > 25 mm diameter > 25 mm or proportionately similar volume)

Three items should be treated by following standard disposals:

  1. Cathode ray tubes: The fluorescent coating has to be removed,
  2. Equipment containing gases that are ozone depleting or have a global warming potential (GWP) above 15, such as those contained in foams and refrigeration circuits: the gases must be properly extracted and properly treated. Ozone-depleting gases must be treated in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 June 2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer.
  3. Gas discharge lamps: The mercury shall be removed.
  • Information for users

Valuable metals presence in electrical and electronic products, such as copper and gold presence in PCB plates, and a few electrical and electronic components necessarily disposed by special manners (as shown in WEEE Annex II), could be worthy resources when properly separated or environmentally hazardous materials when disposed improperly. (For example, the combustion of PCB plates might produce toxic dioxin and furan.) Therefore, the end-of-life electronic products should not be treated as unsorted electronic waste and should be collected separately and specially for reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery in order to achieve resource sustaining, environmental protection and preservation of human’s health.

As WEEE is sent to the collection systems, it will be disassembled to recycle the reusable components and to remove the substances, preparations and components shown in Annex II. The WEEE will be then pulverized, classified and sorted out to recycle valuable metals (such as iron, copper, aluminum) and plastics for reuse. The unclassified materials can also be regenerated by other forms of recovery to raise their recycling value.

The key point of return and collection of WEEE to special recycling systems is the product consumer or user, who is the controller to send WEEE to the right places. Accordingly, if there is any IT product to be discarded, please send it to local qualified recycling system to ensure proper recycling of IT wastes.

  • Symbol for the marking of electrical and electronic equipment

The WEEE Directive requires producers to mark electrical and electronic equipment put on the market after August 13, 2005 with a 'crossed-out wheeled bin' symbol. The symbol consists of a crossed-out wheeled bin with a black thick line below. This is to differentiate the WEEE symbol from other recycling symbols in WEEE Directives, e.g. the symbol for waste batteries recycling. This is also for reminding consumers not to dispose of WEEE as unsorted municipal waste and to collect such WEEE separately. Please check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

http://www.werohs.com/weee_l2.gif

Symbol for the marking of electrical and electronic equipment
 (The symbol indicating separate collection for electrical and electronic equipment)

  • Information for treatment facilities

In order to facilitate reuse and collection of WEEE, including maintenance, upgrade, refurbishment and recycling, Acer following the WEEE Directive will provide reuse and treatment information for each type of new EEE put on the market within one year after the equipment is put on the market.

Until each manufacturer’s responsibility systems are fully established, Acer reaches out to assume the manufacturers’ product recycling responsibilities. Acer is working to comply with the EU’s WEEE Directive and each nation’s laws requiring participation in recycling systems, as well as planning for recycling of waste products. The following information concerning resource recycling information in Taiwan, Europe, U.S.& Canada, Japan and India is compiled below for consumers’ reference.

Taiwan
Recycling of waste IT products in Taiwan is handled through a publicly managed and operated system. Operators receive fees from the Resource Recycling Management Fund based on annual operation volumes and recycling clearance and disposal rates. The Recycling Fund Management Board under the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, is in charge of determining recyclables, issuing treatment subsidies, auditing and verifying treatment volumes, and managing recyclers’ treatment and administrative operations. Taiwan offers a wide spectrum of waste IT product recycling channels, able to utilize clean-up teams, second-hand goods operators, resource recycling organizations, and recycling locations established at IT product retail sales sites. Taiwan has eleven registered waste IT product treatment enterprises. These diverse channels have made it possible to obtain over 90% of required resources from recycled waste IT products.

Acer coordinates efforts with Taiwan’s recycling system by not only making annual payments to the Resource Recycling Management Fund, but also participating in public hearings on recycling, clearance and treatment fee rates to better understand Resource Recycling Management Fund operations and provide suggestions on recycling, clearance and treatment fee rate adjustments.

Central and local governments, operators, consumers, and recyclers all work together to help Taiwan’s publicly managed and operated recycling system achieve progressive results. For information about resource recycling in Taiwan, please refer to the EPA’s Recycling Fund Management Board website:

Based on our extended producer responsibility, Acer has visited several principal waste IT product recycling factories in Taiwan to understand the recycling and treatment process, and follow-up recycling material routes as well as current problems. The information collected during these visits will help to adopt relevant environmental protection measures. Plastic casings of waste IT products containing spray paint or gilded finishing create more difficulties with recycling and treatment. Acer has turned this problem over to our design division and will continue to work closely with recyclers and recycling factories in the future to better coordinate recycling and product design channels.

Estimated number of Acer PCs recycled in Taiwan
Based on statistics of annual recycling volumes of e-waste provided by the Taiwan EPA's Recycling Fund Management Board, it is estimated that approximately 73,261 computers were recycled in 2006, marking a recycling rate of about 31.2% and reaching a volume of 869 tons. Approximately 77,763 computers were recycled in 2007, marking a recycling rate of about 29.8% and reaching a volume of 876 tons. Approximately 96,652 computers were recycled in 2008, marking a recycling rate of about 29.47% and reaching a volume of 1,089 tons. The estimated recycling rate in 2009 was about 26.28% accounting for a volume of 1,158 tons.

Europe

We consider the product recycling to be an extension of the producer's responsibility and have planned our products and components recycling schemes in accordance with EU directives. Components that are recycled separately include the main unit of the product, batteries, secondary batteries, and packaging. By integrating our recycling channels with local systems we guarantee our customers that their Acer product will be properly disposed of. Our battery recycling program, for example, covers 3 aspects. First, we do not use mercury, cadmium, lead, or similar hazardous substances. Second, the design of our products ensures that batteries are easily identifiable and detachable. Third, clearly indicating the position of the battery and its type in the product disassembly guide facilitates the easy removal of the battery and its proper recycling. As for packaging, we have endeavored to make it as lightweight as possible to save resources, and restricted the use of heavy metals materials in manufacture. The packaging is also stamped with a recycling symbol and logo of the materials it is composed of. In addition, many of Acer Europe branches have joined with local organizations to provide appropriate recycling channels. For example, Acer Norway is now a "Grønt Punkt" member of El-Retur, an organization promoting recycling of product packaging.

United States and Canada

North America is currently the world's largest producer of e-waste annually. Acer America offers its customers recycling services for all Acer products sold there. Acer America not only complies with all state and federal recycling regulations in the U.S. and Canada but also cooperates with private recyclers to offer consumers even more recycling options. The options and private operators include:

Consumers can choose between mail-back or personally delivering Acer products to be recycled, whichever is most convenient for them. The comprehensiveness of our recycling schemes is reflected in the fact that in 2009 we recycled around 2,180,000 kg (4,800,000 pounds) of waste products. Acer America is committed to continuing this service and searching for ways to enhance its effectiveness. Acer Canada has entered into a cooperative arrangement with Phoenix Recycler to manage the recycling of waste computer products. A system has been devised that allows for tracking of all waste through the recycling process to prevent unnecessary waste or burying of recyclables. The system also protects privacy by guaranteeing that any personal information pertaining to the consumer is destroyed. Acer America has also collaborated with the non-profit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to offer our North American customers free notebook battery recycling under the Call2Recycle ® plan. We believe our customers care about protecting the environment as much as we do.

As for used battery recycling, Acer is a member of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). Should consumers have any unserviceable notebook computer batteries, call the consumer service hotline at 1-877-723-1297 or email to customerservice@call2recycle.org for further information.

Japan

Manufacturers are asked to shoulder product recycling and handling duties in accordance with Japan’s Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources. Acer Japan thus honors local laws to join the local PC recycling organization-PC3R Promotion Association as a partnering member. Should you wish to declare any Acer products unserviceable, please contact PC3R Promotion Association and Acer Japan at the following websites:

India

Disposing of e-waste is a major environmental issue for developing nations in South America and South Asia. In order to minimize the chances of e-waste being improperly disposed of there, we have set up the Acer India e-Waste Programme to offer free recycling of Acer products. Customers first register for the program either via the Acer India website or by e-mail. They can then mail their unwanted product to one of Acer India's centers for recycling. Products that can currently be recycled include PCs, notebooks, monitor screens, projectors, and servers.

Response to European Battery Directive

The Directive of Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators (2006/66/EC) entered into force on September 26, 2008. The intention of this Directive is to establish rules for prohibition of placing on the market batteries and accumulators containing hazardous substances, and to establish specific rules for the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste batteries and accumulators to promote a high level of collection and recycling of waste batteries and accumulators. This Directive shall apply to all types of batteries and accumulators, regardless of their shape, volume, weight, material composition or use (except those with military purposes and those designed to be sent into space)

  • Product prohibition

From September 26, 2008, prohibition on the placing on the market of:
- All batteries or accumulators, whether or not incorporated into appliances, that contain more than 0.0005 % of mercury by weight (except button cells with a mercury content of no more than 2 % by weight)
- Portable batteries or accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances that contain more than 0.002% of cadmium by weight

  • Product design

Based on the pollution prevention principle, Acer avoids using hazardous materials from design phase of a product such as mercury, cadmium and lead. Therefore, all Acer products comply with the requirement of the Battery Directive.

In product recycling phase, batteries on the list of Annex II of WEEE are required to be treated separately. Due to Acer’s Individual Producer Responsibility concept, the product parts listed in the Annex II shall be designed in a way as easy-to-identify and easy-to-disassemble (See Easy Disassemble Design) and shall be described in Disassembly Instructions for their locations and types. The waste batteries are thus can be easily and safely removed and recycled.

  • Information for users

Batteries contain liquid, acid and metals. The landfill of these materials together with municipal waste will leach out waste liquid, acid and heavy metals to pollute the soil and groundwater, or lead to further poisoning of the human body. The incineration of them will also have heavy metal contamination in the air or in the ashes. The secondary pollution will reach also to the soil and the groundwater. If batteries are recycled properly, the valuable resource can be reused again and the impact of the hazardous materials can also be minimized. Therefore, the waste batteries and accumulators shall not be placed in landfill or incinerated. Instead, they shall be collected and treated separately from municipal waste to professional recycling facilities in order to reserve resources and to protect human health and the environment.

The batteries into the recycling facilities will be then be disassembled, pulverized, classified and sorted out to recycle valuable metals (such as lithium, zinc, manganese, nickel, cobalt and iron). The unclassified materials can also be regenerated by other forms of recovery to raise their recycling value. But the key point of return and collection of waste batteries to professional recycling facilities is the product consumer, who is the controller to send batteries to the right places.

Based on the extended producers’ responsibilities for recycling and compliance with the EU’s Battery Directive and each nation’s regulations, Acer has initiated the planning for recycling of waste batteries and has joined the local recycling systems in European countries. Batteries for discarding should be sent to the local franchisee or qualified recycling system to ensure proper recycling of waste batteries.

  • Symbols for batteries, accumulators and battery packs

The symbol indicating ‘separate collection’ for all batteries and accumulators shall be the crossed-out wheeled bin shown below. It is to remind consumers not to dispose waste batteries and accumulators together with municipal waste.

Symbols for batteries, accumulators and battery packs for separate collection
(The symbol indicating ‘separate collection’ for all batteries and accumulators)

All batteries, accumulators or bottom cells that contain mercury more than 0.0005%, cadmium more than 0.002% or lead more than 0.004% shall be labeled with the chemical symbols of the heavy metals (Hg, Cd, or Pb) under the crossed-out wheeled bin symbols.