Analyzing the sustainability of electronic waste management in Toronto, Ontario

Tukhareli, Tamara (2015) Analyzing the sustainability of electronic waste management in Toronto, Ontario. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (5MB)

Abstract

Sustainable waste management plays a key role in achieving sustainable urban development worldwide. Currently, the rates of waste generation are on the increase with electronic waste comprising a significant portion of the total. This growth in the generation of electronic waste has led to the creation of sustainable management programs in a number of cities, including Toronto in Canada. An examination of the existing electronic waste management system in Toronto, Ontario has provided many insights into the structure of the relationships and the flow of the electronic waste within the area. This thesis analyzes the sustainability of the social networks and material flow networks that have developed within the Toronto electronic waste market. The data, collected from the field observations in the summer, points to a relatively uneven distribution of partnerships between the large-scale recycling corporations, government organizations, non-profit refurbishers and the informal recyclers. The examination also reveals a prioritization towards large-scale mechanical recycling over refurbishing and reuse of the electronics. The effect of such distribution of material and partnerships on the overall sustainability of the management system is discussed.

Actions (login required)

View Item