Closing the technological gap on e-waste processing in developing countries: a Costa Rican Case Study

摘要

Costa Rica has lead the Central American region in the e-waste issue, the discussion through the National Technical Committee brought up awareness, and allowed the conformation of the first voluntary compliance entity, with nine importers of the electronic sector, during last year. In spite of the interest of the electronics importers accepting the extended responsibility, as well as other social and economic sectors, the approval of the regulation has not found an easy way. Electronics inventory accumulated reaches the 24 000 tons of historical waste, and increases every year in about 4000 ton, leading to emerging primary processing facilities with national and foreign investments. The development of a primary processing facility for e-waste allows the material separation in Costa Rica, a country with very low metallurgic industry development. While some materials can be recycled locally, the volume reduction of circuits and CRT's allows reaching the final processing facilities abroad at a competitive processing fee.