* THE WEEE DIRECTIVE * THE WEEE MAN * MEDIA CENTRE * HELP
* RSA
WEEE Man
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* WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
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What is the problem?

The WEEE man is built from the amount of electrical and electronic waste the average British person creates in their lifetime. Over 1 million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) waste goes to landfill every year. This is not good news: most e–waste is toxic – and we’re running out of landfill.


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* WHAT'S YOUR FOOTPRINT? *
* CLICK HERE to calculate how much "nature" your mobile phone and personal computer require » *
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FURTHER INFORMATION
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Cradle to Cradle
W. McDonough and M. Braungart, North Point, 2002

Design for the Real World: Human Ecology & Social Change
V. Papanek Thames and Hudson, 1985

The Green Consumer Guide
J. Elkington and J. Hailes, Gollancz, 1988

Natural Capitalism
P. Hawken, A. B. Lovins and L. H. Lovins, Earthscan publications, 2000

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


* closed loop


* product life cycle

THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

Electrical and electronic products can affect the environment throughout their life cycle – from when raw materials are extracted from the earth to when materials from the products are reused, recycled, recovered (energy) or discarded. The life cycle includes activities such as mining for materials, design, manufacture, use and disposal. To help reduce the impact of e-waste, designers need to be re-educated about the life cycle.
Read more »


* break even points

BREAK EVEN POINTS: WHEN TO BUY A NEW PRODUCT

The point at which it is better for the environment if you buy a new product, rather than keep your old one, is known as the breakeven point. Unfortunately, many electronic products are disposed of when they still work, in favour of updated versions or trendier styling. For example, the typical breakeven point for a mobile phone is seven years, but the average person will change their mobile after just 11 months.
Read more »


* Women picking through wires torn out of computers. The wires are sorted by day and burned by night in this village. The families live right in the burnyards. Cancer causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins will result from burning wires made from PVC and brominated flame retardants. Guiyu, China. © Basel Action Network, December 2001.
© Basel Action Network

WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE

Products that we in the West thoughtlessly throw away can affect other people and even lead to illnesses such as cancer and aspiratory problems. Through changing our patterns of consumption levels, reuse and recycling, we can help reduce suffering in other parts of the world and reduce our environmental impact on the planet.
Read more »


* why we need to change

ZERO WASTE

The amazing WEEE man has been developed as part of the RSA’s manifesto for the 21st century. The installation aims to raise public awareness about the impact of e–waste and encourage us all to actively reduce the number of electrical and electronic products going to landfill by focusing on recycling, reusing and repairing instead.
Read more »


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