Idea is to separate and give the correct destination parts of old computers
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
The University of São Paulo (USP) will put into operation from August, a center for disposal and recycling of electronic waste such as computers, printers and other network equipment. The site will make the separation of all components and forward the material to companies that work specifically with each of them. It is the first center of public type in the country - in the private sector, there are few similar initiatives.
By the end of the year, the center will serve only the campus of USP, units of state government. From next year, the service will be open to the general population, including businesses. Anyone can go to the site and leave their old computers. The machines that are received in working condition will be donated to schools or social - with the proviso that, when they become obsolete and must be returned to the center for recycling.
"We did some research and realized that companies that recycle computers, recycle actually only a small part of it, and throw the rest in the landfill, which turns trash. Those who work with plastics, only use plastic, recycle those batteries, idem, "explains project coordinator, Tereza Cristina Carvalho, director of the Computing Center of the USP. "We came to the conclusion that for a sustainable process is necessary to disassemble the entire machine, grind and package the components by type of material."
LOW COST
The implementation of the recycling center has estimated budget of R $ 180 thousand, which will be used to adapt the site and purchase of tools such as scales, compactor and shredder. The estimate of the project is to achieve the minimum mark of 500 electronics per month. With this figure, the center becomes sustainable and no longer need financial contribution to the university.
The project was developed in partnership with researchers from the Institute of Technology (MIT) and received prominence in the area of innovation in public management of the Mario Covas Award in April.
Through this process, not the machine is dropped, because 94% of the components of a computer are recyclable. Plastic, fabric, glass and disks can be used in other utilities, such as the manufacture of toys and even new pieces of information. The internal cards contain gold, silver and other metals. The batteries can extract powder of copper and nickel, which saw the raw material for various industrial areas.
"You have to take into account as well as digestion time parts, the machines have lead and mercury, which are thrown in the trash will contaminate the environment," says Teresa. Only in the USP, is a technology park with 37 thousand computers, 15 thousand and 4.5 thousand printers networking equipment. Each year, at least 15% of all that stuff becomes obsolete and is discarded - without correct destination, just going to landfills and dumps.
In Brazil, there are at least 50 million computers in use and, according to the Brazilian Association of Electrical and Electronics Industry (Abinee), about 10 million units are sold per year - currently the life of a computer is four years on average.
The country consumes 1.2 billion batteries and 400 million cell phone batteries. And 40% ordinary batteries sold here are fake and contain heavy metal content above the legal limit.
"Missing the majority of companies that manufactures and receiving these materials take responsibility for its disposal," said Shabbethai Calderoni, president of the Brazil and one of the leading specialists in recycling in the country "The university is doing a public service with this project and see what the cost is down, business is very inexpensive and yet they do not, "he says.
According to Calderoni, Brazil still has a system of systematic collection and recycling at any point in the chain that involves machines: industry, traders and consumers. There is even a specific legislation on the subject.
18 years is being discussed in Congress a bill to establish a national policy on waste. One of the most controversial proposal, which has delayed for many years a definition, is just about who would fall the responsibility for proper disposal of discarded materials.
Source: Idec
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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