E-waste definition in other countries and multilateral agencies like OECD and Basel convention has been described below:

Canada

Canada’s WEEE/ E-waste regulations are in the process of being developed at provincial level. Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia have WEEE/ E-waste regulations in lace. The WEEE/ E-waste definitions or statements as per these regulations are given below.

Alberta

Electronics Designation Regulation A.R.94/2004 published on May 12, 2004 enforced from October 1, 2004 as Appendix to Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act defines “Electronics” as all electrical and electronic equipment or devices, whether intended for consumers, industrial or commercial use, and includes, without limitation,

• Television
• Computers, laptops and notebooks, including CPUs, keyboards, mouse, cables and other components in the computer
• Computer monitors
• Computer printers, including printers that have scanning or fax capabilities, or both
• Scanners
• Audio and video playback and recording system
• Telephones and fax machines
• Cell phones or other wireless devices and
• Electronic game equipment, but does not include electronics contained within and affixed to a motor vehicle

Electronics has been defined as designated material for the purpose of Part 9, Division 1 of the Act and the “Designated Material Recycling and Management Regulation”. The term used instead of WEEE/E-waste is “Disposal of Electronics” under this regulation.

British Columbia

Schedule 3,”Electronic Product Category” was included in “British Columbia Recycling Regulation” dated October 7, 2004 as amended on February 16,2006. The electronic product category consists of “Computers” that are designed for desktop use by an individual, for desktop use as a server or to be portable, except hand held devices, “Desktop Printers” and “Televisions”. The electronic product category does not include computers and televisions that are part of or attached to vehicles, marine vessels or commercial or industrial equipment.

Computers include a computer monitor and computer peripheral. Computer peripheral means a keyboard, mouse or cable that attaches or is attached to a computer. Desktop printer means a printer that will print on paper not exceeding 8.5 inches in width but does not include a label printer.

“British Columbia Stewardship Plan for End-of-Life Electronics”, a plan formulated in response to the above regulation defines WEEE/ E-waste as “End of Life” electronics where electronics means the electronic product category mentioned above.

Nova Scotia

“Solid Waste-Resource Management Regulations” made under Section 102 of the Environment Act as amended on February 22,2007 mentions “Electronic Products Stewardship Program” in Part II. “Electronic Product” means an electrical device or electronic equipment that is a designated material. “Designated Material” has been defined as materials listed in Column 1 of Schedule “B” and includes following electronic items:

• Televisions
• Desktop, laptop and notebook computers, including CPU’s, keyboards, mice, cables and other components in the computer
• Computer monitors
• Computer printers, including printers that have scanning or fax capabilities or both
• Computer scanners
• Audio and video playback and recording systems
• Telephones and fax machines
• Cell phones and other wireless devices

“Electronic Product Stewardship Program” means a program that establishes a process for collection, transportation, reuse and recycling of electronic products and, if no further options exist, the disposal of any residual electronic product components and incorporates the principles of a pollution prevention hierarchy by replacing disposal with reuse and recycling of electronic products.

Ontario

The Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) regulation under the Waste Diversion Act, 2002 (WDA) was filed on December 14, 2004. The regulation designates seven categories of electronic and electrical equipment as waste, and targets more than 200 items that could be designated, including computers, telephones, broadcast equipment, televisions and CD players, children’s toys, power tools, lawn mowers and navigational and medical instruments. Products targeted under Ontario WEEE legislation are given in table below:

Products Designated under Ontario Legislation

Saskatchewan

“The Waste Electronic Equipment Regulations” filed on October 13, 2005 under The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2002, defines WEEE/ E-waste as “waste electronic equipment”, which means electronic equipment that the consumer no longer wants.

“Electronic Equipment” means any electronic equipment listed in Coumn 1 of Table 1 of these regulations. This table includes following electronic equipment:

• Personal desktop computer, including the central processing unit and all other parts contained in the computer
• Personal notebook computer, including the central processing unit and all other parts contained in the computer
• Computer monitor, including cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display and plasma,
• Computer mouse, including cables
• Computer printer including dot matrix; ink jet; laser; thermal and computer printer with scanning or facsimile capabilities or both
• Television (cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display, plasma and rear projection)

Japan

There is no specific definition of WEEE/ E-waste as defined in the regulatory system. E-waste is covered under laws to promote recycling within Japan. The two major laws covering broad range of E-waste items are “The Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances (Home Appliances Recycling Law)” enacted in 1998 and “The Law for Promotion of the Effective Utilization of Resources” enacted in 2000.
In “The Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances (Home Appliances Recycling Law)”, E-waste is referred as”Used Consumer Electric Goods Discarded by Consumers”. This law covers TVs, Refrigerators, Washing Machines and Air Conditioners.

In “The Law for Promotion of the Effective Utilization of Resources”, E-waste is covered under “Used goods and by-products” which have been generated and their large part is discarded. This law covers personal computers (home and office) and other electronic items. According to this law “Used goods” means any articles that are collected, used or unused, or is disposed of (except radioactive materials or those contaminated thereby). “By-product” means any articles obtained secondarily in the process of manufacturing, processing, repair or sale of the product; in the process of supply of energy; or in the process of construction pertaining to architecture and civil engineering (hereinafter referred to as “construction work”) except radioactive materials or those contaminated thereby.

USA

According to USEPA, Electronic products that are “near” or at the “end of their useful life” are referred to as “e-waste” or “e-scrap.” Recyclers prefer the term “e-scrap” since “waste” refers only to what is left after the product has been reused, recovered or recycled. However, “E-waste” is the most commonly used term.

Source: Central Pollution Control Board