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A Case Against E-Waste: Where One Country's Trash is not Another Country's Treasure: Developing National E-Waste Legislation to Regulate E-Waste Exportation.

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A Case Against E-Waste: Where One Country's Trash is Not Another Country's Treasure: Developing National E-Waste Legislation to Regulate E-Waste ExportationOver the past decade, the proliferation of electronic devices in the waste stream has caused an increase in exportation of used electronics to third world countries. As a result of this exportation, several health and environmental issues have manifested. A large percentage of these wastes are shipped to third world countries where the devices are improperly disposed of either through burning or open disposal. The result of such improper disposal is the release of toxic constituents in to the environment. This paper delves in to detail about the toxicity of electronic components, and examines the health and environmental effects of improper disposal of e-waste in third world countries. After discussing the negative implications that improper disposal of e-waste, the paper will examine the current state and local laws that the United States has regarding e-waste disposal, and will discuss the inherent inadequacies. Included in this discussion is an analysis of the success of various state programs and how a proper disposal or recycling scheme should look. The paper then will examine the current national legislation on hazardous wastes, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Then, this paper examines other nations, and their e-waste legislation including the European WEEE and RoHS schemes, and other countries. Finally, this paper lays out a framework for how national legislation within the United States should look, either by amending RCRA or creating entirely new legislation.

• French, Dominique Cristina
• Legislation
• Master's Thesis
• In Copyright
• Environmental Law
• Paddock, Lee
•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/zg64tm15k

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Home > Graduate Research and Creative Practice > Masters Theses > 960

Masters Theses

Modeling and improvement of electronic waste collection system: case study at grand valley state university.

Quang Tran Nhat Nguyen , Grand Valley State University

Date Approved

Graduate degree type, degree name.

Engineering (M.S.E.)

Degree Program

School of Engineering

First Advisor

Second advisor.

Arjumand Ali

Third Advisor

Shirley Fleischmann

Fourth Advisor

Sung-Hwan Joo

Academic Year

Accelerated and advanced development of the electronics industry in the 21st century is creating the rapid obsolescence of electrical and electronic equipment. This causes one of the largest and unstoppable waste streams called electronic waste (e-waste). There have been obstacles in e-waste recycling, including the existence of the informal sector such as peddlers (a larger issue in developing countries) and insufficient consumer awareness. The ideal e-waste recycling system would be able to overcome these obstacles. To establish an effective e-waste recycling system, the first important step is to implement an e-waste collection system. To implement an e-waste collection system, many organizations such as companies, universities, and neighborhoods have found it difficult to determine the consumers’ willingness to participate in e-waste collection and to estimate the amount of e-waste that would be collected. This thesis introduces a model that can be used to determine consumers’ willingness to participate in e-waste recycling and estimate the amount of electronic waste that could be collected. After that, the next step to improve an e-waste collection system can be planned based on the factors that affect the consumers’ willingness to participate in e-waste recycling and the estimated amount of e-waste that would be collected. The methods that were used in the existing studies including the formulations for estimating the amount of e-waste were modified to fit correctly into the proposed model. The purpose of the thesis is applying the model to improve e-waste collection in an educational institution community by identifying the willingness of students, faculty, and university staff members to participate in ewaste recycling in this community, estimating the collected amount of e-waste, and recommending the next step based on the consumers’ willingness and estimated amount of e-waste.

ScholarWorks Citation

Nguyen, Quang Tran Nhat, "Modeling and Improvement of Electronic Waste Collection System: Case Study at Grand Valley State University" (2019). Masters Theses . 960. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/960

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Development of Electronic Waste (e-waste) Management and Coarse PCB-Particles Based Processing Techniques in Developing Countries

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Electronic waste (e-waste)

• E-waste is the fastest growing solid waste stream in the world (1) . 
• In 2019, an estimated 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste were produced globally, but only 17.4% was documented as formally collected and recycled (2) . 
• Lead is one of the common substances released into the environment if e-waste is recycled, stored or dumped using inferior activities, such as open burning (3) . 
• E-waste recycling activities may have several adverse impacts on human health. Children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. 
• ILO and WHO estimate that millions of women and child labourers working in the informal recycling sector around the world may be at risk of e-waste exposure (4) .

Every year millions of electrical and electronic devices are discarded as products break or become obsolete and are thrown away. These discarded devices are considered e-waste and can become a threat to the environment and to human health if they are not treated, disposed of, and recycled appropriately. Common items in e-waste streams include computers, mobile phones, and large household appliances, as well as medical equipment. Every year, millions of tonnes of e-waste are recycled using environmentally unsound techniques and are likely stored in homes and warehouses, dumped, exported or recycled under inferior conditions. When e-waste is treated using inferior activities, it can release as many as 1000 different chemical substances into the environment, including harmful neurotoxicants such as lead (3) . Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable due to their unique pathways of exposure and their developmental status. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 16.5 million children were working in the industrial sector in 2020, of which waste processing is a subsector (4) .

Scope of the problem 

Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing solid waste stream in the world, increasing 3 times faster than the world’s population (1) . Less than a quarter of e-waste produced globally in 2019 was known to be formally recycled; however, e-waste streams contain valuable and finite resources that can be reused if they are recycled appropriately. E-waste has therefore become an important income stream for individuals and even communities. However, people living in low- and middle-income (LMICs), particularly children, face the most significant risks from e-waste due to lack of appropriate regulations, recycling infrastructure and training. Despite international regulations targeting the control of the transport of e-waste from one country to another, the transboundary movement of e-waste to LMICs continues, frequently illegally. E-waste is considered hazardous waste as it contains toxic materials or can produce toxic chemicals when treated inappropriately. Many of these toxic materials are known or suspected to cause harm to human health, and several  are included in the 10 chemicals of public health concern , including dioxins, lead and mercury. Inferior recycling of e-waste is a threat to public health and safety.

Exposure to e-waste 

Electrical and electronic items contain many different toxic substances. While users are unlikely to have contact with any of these substances when the items are in use, when they become waste, these toxicants can be released into the environment if the devices are managed using environmentally unsound practices and activities. Several unsound practices have been observed at e-waste sites including: 

• scavenging   
• dumping on land or in water bodies 
• landfilling along with regular waste 
• opening burning or heating 
• acid baths or acid leaching   
• stripping and shredding plastic coatings  
• manual disassembly of equipment.  

These activities are considered hazardous to the environment and human health as they release toxic pollutants, contaminating the air, soil, dust, and water at recycling sites and in neighbouring communities. Burning or heating is considered one of the most hazardous activities due to the toxic fumes created. Once in the environment, toxic pollutants from e-waste or produced through unsound recycling activities can travel significant distances from the point of pollution, exposing people in faraway areas to health-damaging substances.  

Children are the most vulnerable  

A range of adverse health outcomes linked to e-waste recycling activities have been posed . 

Children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the effects of hazardous pollutants from informal e-waste recycling activities. Children are often involved in waste picking and scavenging, burning discarded e-waste and the manual dismantlement of items into component parts. In some countries, children may serve as a source of cheap labour and their small hands give them an advantage in taking apart the smallest items. These activities directly expose children to injury and high levels of hazardous chemicals. Working as a waste picker is hazardous labour and is considered one of the worst forms of child labour by the ILO. In 2020, the ILO estimated that as many as 16.5 million children globally were working in the industrial sector, of which waste processing is a subsector (4) . It is unknown how many child labourers participate in informal e-waste recycling.  

E-waste exposure may be linked to the following health effects during pregnancy and in infants and children: 

• adverse neonatal outcomes , including increased rates of stillbirth and premature birth; 
• neurodevelopment, learning and behaviour outcomes , especially associated with lead released through informal e-waste recycling activities; and
• reduced lung and respiratory function and increased asthma incidence , which may be linked to high levels of contaminated air pollution that characterize many e-waste recycling sites. 

Children and pregnant women are at higher risk than adults to contaminants released through informal e-waste recycling activities due to their unique vulnerabilities. Children have different exposures to e-waste recycling activities. E-waste recycling activities release toxic chemicals that can cross the placenta and may contaminate breastmilk, for example mercury. Additionally, children are highly sensitive to many of the pollutants released through e-waste recycling due to their rapidly developing bodies, including their respiratory, immune and central nervous systems. E-waste contains multiple known and suspected neurotoxicants, including lead and mercury, that may disrupt the development of the central nervous system during pregnancy, infancy, childhood and adolescence. Some harmful toxicants from e-waste may also impact the structural development and function of the lungs. Changes to children’s developing systems from e-waste may cause irreparable harm and affect them for the rest of their lives. 

Prevention and management 

National and international actions are essential to protect communities from dangerous e-waste recycling activities. Actions that can be taken include: 

• adopting and enforcing high-level international agreements; 
• developing and implementing national e-waste management legislation that protects public health; 
• incorporating health protection measures into national legislation; 
• monitoring e-waste sites and surrounding communities; 
• implementing and monitoring interventions that improve informal e-waste recycling activities, protect public health and ensure vital sources of community revenue; 
• educating health workers across all levels on e-waste-related child health issues; 
• eliminating child labour.  

International agreements 

The Basel Convention controls the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal. It is a comprehensive environmental agreement that aims to tackle issues surrounding hazardous wastes, including e-waste and its management. In 2019, the Ban Amendment to the Basel Convention entered into force. It prohibits the movement of hazardous wastes, including e-waste, from countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Commission countries and Liechtenstein to other states that are party to the Convention. The Basel Convention runs programmes and workshops to develop and deliver guidance on environmentally sound management of e-waste. It also provides states with guidelines to distinguish between waste and non-waste and the transboundary movement of e-waste. Additionally, regional conventions also exist, such as the Bamako Convention and the Waigani Convention . Both these regional conventions have arisen in response to the Basel Convention and aim to further restrict the movement of hazardous wastes, including e-waste, in African and South Pacific countries, respectively. 

WHO response

WHO’s Initiative on E-waste and Child Health is contributing to a number of international e-waste programmes and pilot projects in countries in Latin America and Africa. These pilot projects are developing frameworks to protect children’s health from e-waste exposures that can be adapted and replicated in other countries and settings. The Initiative aims to: 

• increase access to evidence, knowledge and awareness of the health impacts of e-waste  
• improve health sector capacity to manage and prevent risks 
• facilitate monitoring of exposure to e-waste and interventions that protect public health. 

In 2021, WHO released its first global report on e-waste and child health , which called for greater effective and binding action to protect children from the growing threat. WHO has developed training tools for the health sector, such as the recently updated training package for health care providers , including a specific training module on lead and on e-waste and child health.  Additionally, WHO contributes to multi-agency capacity training tools including a MOOC and a joint course with PAHO .

• Tackling informality in e-waste management: the potential of cooperative enterprises. Geneva: International Labour Organization; 2014 ( https://www.ilo.org/sector/Resources/publications/WCMS_315228/lang--en/index.htm )
• Forti V, Balde CP, Kuehr R, Bel G. The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. Bonn, Geneva, Vienna: United Nations University, International Telecommunication Union, International Solid Waste Association; 2020 ( https://ewastemonitor.info/ )
• Widmer R, Oswald-Krapf H, Sinha-Khetriwal D, Schnellmann M, Böni H. Global perspectives on e-waste. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 2005;25(5):436-458. 
• Child labour: global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward. Geneva: International Labour Organization; 2021 ( https://www.ilo.org/ipec/ChildlabourstatisticsSIMPOC/lang--en/index.htm ). 

WHO's work on children's environmental health

WHO Initiative on E-waste and Child Health (leaflet)

Children and digital dumpsites: e-waste exposure and child health

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Electronic Waste Management and Recycling Essay

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E-Waste/Recycling Basel Action Network

Where does e-waste end up.

In this modern era, going green is the main concern of companies and thus a stance for competition for the majority. However, this video highlights key issues responsible for e-waste turmoil and, ironically, there hasn’t still been any profound law in some countries forbidding the way it is recycled.

Environmentalists vehemently express that quite a number of electronic goods are still made with hazardous material which during recycling could pave way to health issues partly due to them being disposed carelessly. An example of this is ‘lead’ and ‘mercury’ which are responsible for causing abnormalities while the main sufferers are children or even plastic for that matter which is causes no less trouble.

Moreover, companies try to seek electronic recyclers who might not be proper recyclers and can result in endangering their surroundings. For instance, bids often result in recyclable material being taken to Asia and Africa. In China alone, some of the villages are a hub of e-waste and, therefore, proper human health is questionable. Piles of such e-waste has been polluting the air and nearby rivers, thus, making them over two thousand times more dangerous than the expected threshold level. People eventually, extract chips exposing themselves to great vulnerability and aim for extracts of gold. Similarly, in Nigeria used computers exported are mostly futile as the majority of them are not in working condition, hence, the result is e-waste recycling.

On the other hand, it has an adverse effect on developed world companies in the form of confidential data not wiped out when sending computers for recycling or donating. Hard disks often include confidential emails and other important company data.

E-waste recycling is a major issue because of which The Basel Treaty in Switzerland was signed in 1989 gathering quite a number of European countries. It forbade the shipment of e-waste to developing countries, thereby, taking a stand to protect them. However, Canada and USA are the only developed countries that have not made much an effort to support this cause. It is now a matter of gathering companies and consumers urging them to act responsibility and paving way for the step to go green.

Developing countries like India seek opportunities in e-waste recycling which happens to be the bread and butter for many. While burning chips and electronic computer cards, the fumes given off would hurt eyes and create irritation, however, with the span of time workers get accustomed to the work gaining momentum and resulting in a growing market in India.

While comparing the rate, it would cost only $2 in India to recycle a computer as opposed to $20 in USA, thus, the cost effective nature of such a business is getting the country huge prospects.

Greenpeace scientist, Dr. Kevin Brigdon has had the opportunity of researching on various samples collected from India and China where recycling takes place. He has thus been able to achieve astounding results which reveal health issues as horrendous as possible.

Therefore, high levels of heavy metals and organic chemicals such as cadmium and lead result in affecting the growing nervous system thereby even undermining the I.Q of children, while kidneys are also not spared. Moreover, the workers and people of the surrounding vicinity suffer from hormonal imbalances as well which as a whole adds up to more adverse effects in the long run.

Cables and boards which are dipped in acid for the pursuit of metals are completely stripped of all traces of items that could result in money, while other means include the burning of PVC to extract copper. Unfortunately, the residue and left over acid are then dumped into rivers and sewers nearby thus creating a threat for many other people.

For the quest of having cheap labour, e-waste gets dumped in from Middle East, Europe, USA and other parts of Asia. As this issue is being raised, it is no doubt the duty of manufacturers to now produce electronic goods that are environment friendly and not as obnoxious for recyclers.

It is still argued that various products are still not separated as they should be (Harrison & Hester 2009). Though ten individual categories of electronic waste have been defined, uncertainty still prevails as to what stage LCD’s (Liquid Crystal Displays) and Circuit Boards should be removed from the waste stream.

Anonymous. (2008). Basel Action Network E-Waste Film. Responsible E-Waste Recycling. Web.

Greenpeace International. (2008). Where does E-Waste end up? Web.

Harrison, R. M & Hester, R. E (2009). Electronic Waste Management. RSC Publishing. 6 – 10.

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IvyPanda. (2021, November 23). Electronic Waste Management and Recycling. https://ivypanda.com/essays/electronic-waste-recycling/

"Electronic Waste Management and Recycling." IvyPanda , 23 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/electronic-waste-recycling/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Electronic Waste Management and Recycling'. 23 November.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Electronic Waste Management and Recycling." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/electronic-waste-recycling/.

1. IvyPanda . "Electronic Waste Management and Recycling." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/electronic-waste-recycling/.

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IvyPanda . "Electronic Waste Management and Recycling." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/electronic-waste-recycling/.

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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See an example

The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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The theses in UWSpace are publicly accessible unless restricted due to publication or patent pending.

This collection includes a subset of theses submitted by graduates of the University of Waterloo as a partial requirement of a degree program at the Master's or PhD level. It includes all electronically submitted theses. (Electronic submission was optional from 1996 through 2006. Electronic submission became the default submission format in October 2006.)

This collection also includes a subset of UW theses that were scanned through the Theses Canada program. (The subset includes UW PhD theses from 1998 - 2002.)

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Responding to ESRS-E5: Is the Circular Economy Material to Your Organisation?

6th August 2024

Sarah Griffiths

Principal Consultant

United Kingdom

What is ESRS E5?

• Sustainability reporting landscape
• Who does it apply to?
• What is required?
• How to get started

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Sarah Griffiths, Anthesis Principal Consultant for Waste and Circular Economy, shares insights into the European Sustainability Reporting Stand ards E5 (ESRS-E5) that covers resource use and circular economy, including what it covers, who it applied to and how organisations can prepare.

Two cross-cutting ESRSs and ten topic-specific ESRSs (5 environmental, 4 social and 1 on governance) will require disclosure on governance, strategy, and impact, risk and opportunity management.

ESRS E5 is one of the ten topical standards that form part of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, developed by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG). It focuses on resource use and circular economy, providing guidelines for organisations within the European Union to report on their efforts and performance in these critical areas. It encourages organisations to adopt sustainable practices that minimise resource depletion, promote recycling, and contribute to a circular economic model. The circular economy approach emphasises reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling to create a more sustainable and regenerative system.

Following the double materiality assessment required by ESRS 1, one of the two cross-cutting ESRS standards , organisations may determine that Resource Use and the Circular Economy is a key ESG topic that has both a sustainability and financial impact on its operations. Organisations must then prepare to disclose key information regarding their resource use, specifically:

• Resource/material inflows, considering their circularity and sourcing (renewable vs non-renewable sources)
• Resource outflows, including information on materials and products

Connection with the Wider Sustainability Reporting Landscape

ESRS E5 is part of a broader sustainability reporting landscape that includes various reporting standards and frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also builds on existing EU legislative frameworks and policies regarding resource use and the circular economy, including the EU Green Deal, the EU Taxonomy , EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the Waste Framework Directive and the EU Industrial Strategy.

It complements these frameworks by providing specific guidance on resource use and circular economy aspects. Integrating ESRS E5 into overall sustainability reporting enhances the comprehensiveness and relevance of an organisation’s disclosures.

Who Does ESRS E5 Apply To?

We expect that during a CSRD-compliant double materiality assessment , ESRS E5 will be found to be applicable to a large number of organisations who use resources and materials to produce goods, products and services. The good news is that, reporting performance for ESRS E5 presents a fantastic opportunity for companies to accelerate their circular transformation. Circular business models provide the ability for companies to save resources, mitigate against supply chain risks, reduce their carbon footprint and develop future-forward ways of working.

Becoming more circular also provides tangible environmental benefits that can be captured under the additional ESRS pillars; water and marine resources, reducing carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. This interconnectivity means that ESRS E5 should be prioritised by organisations looking to achieve sustainable performance.

What is Required by ESRS E5?

To comply with ESRS E5, organisations will need to meet several key requirements, including:

• Resource Use Metrics: Organisations are required to measure and report on their resource use and resulting wastes, including water, energy, raw materials, and other relevant resources. This involves both quantitative and qualitative disclosures.
• Circular Economy Initiatives: Organisations must outline their initiatives, strategies and targets related to the circular economy. This includes efforts to extend product lifecycles, promote recycling, and reduce waste generation. The anticipated financial effects of material risks and opportunities arising from circular economy interventions should also be assessed.
• Supply Chain Considerations: ESRS E5 emphasises considering resource and circular economy aspects throughout the supply chain. Organisations should disclose information about their supply chain practices and collaborations to enhance sustainability.
• Innovation and Research: Organisations are encouraged to disclose their efforts in innovation and research aimed at developing more sustainable products, processes, and business models.

How to Get Started with ESRS E5

Once ESRS E5 disclosures have been determined to be required through a CSRD-aligned double materiality assessment, organisations need to act quickly to prepare for compliant reporting.

Based on our experience of assisting organisations to develop circular products, the following activities are important to consider;

• Develop a waste baseline to understand quantities and types of resources being lost at different stages of product manufacturing, use and end of life. This baseline should be developed in line with ESRS E5 reporting mechanisms so that waste arisings can be accurately recorded, and reductions and circular interventions evidenced over time.  Working with waste contractors and suppliers to gather this data is important to ensure that upstream and downstream waste impacts are quantified.
• Create targets to reduce resource use and increase circularity of product lines, using data from the baseline assessment. These targets should be incorporated into ESG frameworks, with operational teams responsible for monitoring and reporting on progress. 
• Develop reporting mechanisms to illustrate:
• The carbon reduction benefits of improved circulatory and waste reduction, so that businesses can incorporate associated savings into Scope 3 reporting and contribute to the evidence requirements of ESRS E2 ‘Pollution’.
• The financial benefits of adopting circular business models and improved resource efficiency, so that sustainable products are viewed as economically viable and advantageous.
• Engage with suppliers and consumers to understand their ability to interact with circular business models.  From a supplier perspective this could be the provision of take-back schemes, more sustainable materials or material reductions. For consumers this could mean the opportunity to extend product lifespans through repair or interacting with bespoke recycling solutions at end of life.

Anthesis can help organisations to implement the above steps, acting as a partner to facilitate circular transitions and drawing on our extensive experience of guiding clients to sustainable performance.

We are the world’s leading purpose driven, digitally enabled, science-based activator. And always welcome inquiries and partnerships to drive positive change together.

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