E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-1

Farah Alawyia
Wala Abdelhalim
Ruba Yousif
Odai Elfeghih
Abdulraheem Hussain

ENGL 210-501
Dr. Mary Queen
Technical Report Final Draft
Due Date: 29 Oct 2022

E-waste is Everyone’s Problem

I. Abstract
In this technical report, we address the problem of electronic waste and its effect on Qatar.; we explain
the problems that e-waste causes and discuss the possible solutions we have managed to come up with.
E-waste is a prevalent problem all around the globe and is not limited to Qatar; Qatar is one of the
leading e-waste producers. E-waste management and understanding of every country are very scarce,
and ignoring it will eventually lead to a bigger problem that may never be resolved. The information we
gathered in this technical report was mainly found using two different methods- Primary and Secondary
research methods. Criteria were further used to analyze the results and develop potential solutions to
the e-waste problem. Three potential solutions were found- Increasing e-waste management facilities in
Qatar, Increasing Product Lifespan, and Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR). In the end, EPR was the
most effective according to the criteria and, therefore, was chosen as the leading solution to the
problem in this technical report. EPR was found to be the best fit for the criteria and, therefore, the best
solution to be implemented in Qatar because of Qatar’s stance on sustainability and the willingness for
environmental development.

II. Introduction
Electrical and electronic equipment, also known as EEE, are products that contain electrical and
electronic components that require battery or power to function. E-waste, or electronic waste, is
produced once EEE is discarded by its owner with zero intention of using it again. Our team has
researched and investigated this simple discarding of electronics by their owners and the negative
aftermath of the disposal to recommend a possible solution that could aid in lessening the aftermath
and, in the long run, solve this issue.

Management of the exponential increase of E-waste production is a problem that has grown dramatically
over the past decade. Whether in Qatar or all over the globe, there seems to be a lack of understanding
on how to properly manage e-waste, which causes even more problems that harm both the environment
and the people living in it. According to The Regional E-waste Monitor for the Arab States 2021, Qatar’s
e-waste production per capita in 2019 was 13.6 kg, totaling about 37,406 tons of e-waste produced by
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-2

Qatar in 2019 alone. (1) However, only about 0.07 kilogram/inhabitant(kg/inh), around 185 tons of
e-waste, was gathered and recycled correctly. This means that approximately 37,221 tons of that e-waste
were thrown in landfills.(1)

Figure 1: E-waste per capita in 2019(1)

When E-waste is not disposed of correctly, it ends up in landfills with other solid waste; this causes
another issue because the production of toxins from the improper disposal of e-waste is another reason
why the generation and management of e-waste is a growing issue. For instance, in 2019, the e-waste
generated in the MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region contained materials such as lead and
mercury, which are very harmful to the environment and the people once released into the air and the
environment. (1) Also, e-waste not being disposed of properly causes a loss of valuable materials such as
gold and rare earth metals.

It is estimated that by 2026 e-waste generated in Qatar will increase to 45k tons if management is not
improved. (2) Even though Qatar’s inhabitants make up a small percentage of the Arab world’s population,
Qatar produces the highest rate of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) in the market annually. This
can be backed up by referring to The Reginal E-waste Monitor of the Arab States 2021, which states
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-3

Qatar had the highest amount - 24.9 kg/inh - of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Placed On the
Market (EEE POM) per inhabitant among all Arab States. (1)

Figure 2: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Placed On the Market (EEE POM) per capita in 2019(1)

With more electrical and electronic equipment on the market in Qatar, citizens and residents have
greater access to electrical equipment, which means they are more inclined to produce e-waste. That is
why we set specific criteria and conducted thorough research to find the best solutions that could be
implemented in Qatar to solve the problem.

III. Methodology
To find the most effective solution for Qatar, we developed specific criteria that had to be put and set
after research to help narrow down all the possible solutions and ensure the chosen solution is the best
for Qatar’s situation, environment, and people.

Given that our task was not to create a new solution but to research all available solutions and choose
the most effective one for our research, we relied on primary and secondary research.
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-4

Our team interviewed Dr. Patrick Linke, a Chemical Engineering Professor and the Chair of the Chemical
Engineering Program at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Dr. Linke is the holder of the Qatar Shell
Professorship for Energy and Environment and a co-founder/director of the Qatar Sustainable Water and
Energy Utilization Initiative (QWE), a center of excellence for research and capacity building at Texas
A&M University in Education City. (3) Given Dr. Linke’s background, areas of interest, and expertise, the
team thought his knowledge and familiarity with sustainability in Qatar would significantly add to the
discussed topic in Qatar’s context.

Secondary research was our primary method of conducting data since we mainly focused on gathering
credible scholarly articles and other sources. Some examples of secondary research used are; books, the
book we used for this research was The Regional E-waste Monitor for the Arab States 2021. Books are
usually not used for research because they take years to publish; however, even though this book was
published in 2021, the statistics included about Qatar and most Arab states are from 2019, which is only
four years ago, making it a credible source for information. According to this article, sources published
within the past ten years are considered credible.(4) Scholarly articles were heavily used in our research
because they are easily accessible and credible sources of information. According to this article, scholarly
articles are excellent sources because the authority and credibility are evident as the authors must
document every source of information, making it a credible and good source of information in
research.(5)

As a team, we set specific criteria to choose the best solution for e-waste management. The process of
selecting these criteria was based on multiple steps; the first step was identifying our solution. To
understand what criteria are needed to find the best solution, we needed to understand our potential
solutions. Our three possible solutions are; E-waste and battery management facilities in Qatar,
Extending electronic devices’ lifespan, and the extended producer responsibility (EPR). The second step
was understanding the problem and potential solutions in the context of Qatar. To do that, we needed to
understand the extent of e-waste in Qatar and how Qatar has approached this problem in the past.

The criteria we decided on as a team are as follows; funds/costs, efficiency, ease of implementation, and
viability. Each criterion is defined below to understand better the context in which the criterion is being
used.

Funds/costs, this criterion revolves around characterizing which potential solution is inexpensive and
mentioning which solution does not require many funds to implement it. Efficiency, this criterion
revolves around describing which possible solution takes the least time and resources to implement and
work so that a difference is made and shown. Ease of implementation, this criterion revolves around
characterizing which potential solution can be implemented and done quickly without facing any
difficulty. Viability, this criterion revolves around characterizing which possible solution has the ability
and capability to work successfully and survive for a long time.

Lastly, as a team, we set a numbering system from one to four, one being the worst and four being the
best. Then we created a rubric that explains and specifies the weight of each number for each criterion;
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-5

this can be seen in table 1 below. When assigning these numbers to our potential solutions, extensive
research had to be done to know just how much time, costs, or efficiency each solution would take;
while doing so, we also had to keep in mind that the solution would be implemented in Qatar, where
there are different standards and criteria.

Table 1: Criteria Rubric

IV. Results
In an aim to find an appropriate solution for e-waste and its negative impacts, our team conducted
extensive research on each solution to decide on the most appropriate one in the context of Qatar. The
solutions that we focused on were: increasing e-waste management facilities in Qatar, increasing product
life span and implementing an extended producer responsibility policy.

1. Increasing e-waste management facilities in Qatar

Although citizens are crucial to the e-waste management system, very little is known about their
attitudes and willingness to pay for, or participate in e-waste collection. With that being said,
governments around the world have become deeply concerned about the responsible management and
recycling of e-waste as a result of the rapid increase in e-waste consumption. Therefore, they have taken
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-6

initiatives to design sustainable management strategies such as building e-waste management facilities,
whilst taking consumer awareness and disposal habits into account in order to generate more successful
results. (6)

Qatar for example has several e-waste management facilities across the country such as the Seashore
Recycling Center, Rassas Battery Recycling Factory and Al Haya Waste Management which provide
low-cost services that collect electronic devices to be transported into recycling units. However,
according to a study conducted by the Qatar Green Building Council as mentioned in a Doha News
article, 65% of the public explained that the reason for their non-recycling habits was that they did not
have access to convenient recycling facilities, which can mean that the number of pre-established
facilities are not enough to cover Qatar’s territory. Therefore, according to a statement by Qatar News
Agency that was published in the Doha News article, strategies that involve doorstep collection or the
establishment of more local recycling points will increase the likelihood that citizens will participate in
e-waste recycling and collection. (7)

Based on another survey conducted by Sayeed Mohammed on waste awareness in Qatar among Qatari
and non-Qatari citizens in 2011, it showed that 82% of the public gave the same reason for their
non-recycling habits as the previous survey which was mentioned in the article above, and the reason
was that their habits were directly influenced by the lack of recycling facilities near their home or office.
(8)

Based on our solution criteria, our team identified clear limitations to this solution. Firstly, this solution is
not viable in the long term and that is mainly because most of these pre-established facilities charge
individuals for e-waste collection and although they may be of low cost, it can still be very discouraging
for citizens to participate. Secondly, the implementation of this solution can be very costly as new
facilities will have to be built which requires a lot of funding and for this solution to be effective
additional funds must be allocated for media coverage in order to make people more aware of these
facilities and to encourage them to participate in e-waste collection. Additionally, building these facilities
alone will not be enough to directly increase citizens’ willingness to participate since a mindset shift is
necessary in order for people to change their habits and behavior which requires a lot of time and effort.

2. Increasing Product Lifespan

Electronics' negative effects on the environment and the climate can be greatly reduced by extending
their useful lives and delaying obsolescence. Due to electronic products either wearing out or becoming
outdated, we have grown accustomed to short product life cycles in recent years. When visiting a
manufacturer for a malfunctioning appliance for example, most of us are frequently advised to purchase
a new one instead of getting it fixed. This cycle of continuous product replacement, as opposed to repair,
increases waste and pollution as well as consumer spending. (9)
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-7

The following practices; high repair expenses that make replacement the only practical solution and
marketing strategies influencing consumers to replace their products while they are still working,
are some of the main reasons that led to the continuous demand for new products instead of repairing
them. (10)

Increasing product lifespan can be a potential solution that helps with reducing consumption and carbon
emissions across the whole product lifecycle. Once products reach maturity and the market becomes
saturated, they will gradually start to decline. Due to this, there are several approaches that can be
followed such as ensuring that the product is constantly being improved so that it can stand out from
similar products in the market. This may include producing updated versions of your product with new
features or higher quality materials to meet the consumer’s ever changing wants and needs. This also
means that manufacturers will have to invest extra time and money to produce more long-lasting
products. (11) Secondly, setting up technological authorities to check whether products meet minimum
safety and technology requirements before selling them will help minimize the quantity of faulty
products ,with short lifespans, that are sold in the market. (11)

With that being said, there are several limitations to this solution and to the strategies mentioned above.
One of them being that it adds additional costs for manufacturers and leads to financial disadvantages
since lower quality products are much cheaper to produce than higher quality ones. Also, the producers’
overall revenue is reduced since they will be required to invest more money into purchasing high quality
material. Additionally, setting up technological authorities to check for specific requirements will be
difficult to implement. (12)

3. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Many governments have examined their choices for implementing policies in response to the rising
waste levels and have come to the conclusion that placing the responsibility for the post-consumer
phase of certain products may be an option. A policy approach known as the extended producer
responsibility assigns producers a significant financial obligation for the handling/disposal of
post-consumer items. (13)

Implementing this solution would cause producers to change packaging design and selection leading to
increased recyclability. This would mean that producers would design products in a way that would make
them easier to disassemble in the end or otherwise accessible to recycling. Additionally, this policy
provides additional funds for recycling programs which also results in higher recycling rates. (14)

It also reduces the amount of energy needed to manufacture products and the creation of air pollution
as well as cutting down on the amount of waste sent to landfills or incinerators. Moreover, companies
following EPR policies will look more appealing to consumers as the consumer demand for
environmentally friendly products has increased in recent years. (15)
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-8

In the context of Qatar, this policy will aid the reprocessing of e-waste by regulating the cross border
economy - making shipment of EEE into Qatar more complex and slowing down the rapid import and
export of products. This regulation will thus extend to aid in governing foreign business and raise support
for local functions, improving Qatar’s economic independence while simultaneously gaining local
awareness of the e-waste functions. (16)

With that being said, there are several limitations to this policy such as: increasing the cost of items that
are more difficult to recycle (electronics), most producers add recycling costs to the price tag of a
product and many EPR programs are poorly implemented. (17)

V. Analysis
The following is an assessment of the previously mentioned solutions under each of four criteria: cost,
efficiency, ease in which to implement, and finally viability within Qatar's context. We used this analysis,
alongside the numerical breakdown in Table 2, to choose the most appropriate solution for the problem.

Table 2: Decision Matrix following the Criteria in Table 1

1. Increasing e-waste management facilities in Qatar

Introducing more e-waste management and facilities into Qatar's territory is a reasonable solution to
aiding in the reduction of e-waste (18). It is highly efficient in solving the problem of e-waste considering
these facilities are built for the purpose of removing thrown away EEEs and thus can surely increase the
ratio of e-waste OOM; reducing the total WEEE not recycled - though it’s possible that some of these
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-9

facilities will opt for removing the e-waste to landfills instead of recycling it. To offset this possibility
future and existing facilities must be closely monitored. (19)

Moreover, this solution is easy to implement; facilities of similar services already exist and are running,
introducing more can be done swiftly following the formula used by existing facilities. (19) Qatar has a
similarly small territory that can be covered with the addition of only a few more facilities and would not
need a plethora of resources. (18)

On the other hand, this solution carries many problems. For instance the cost of building and employing
capital (machinery and human capital) is rather high. The cost of building a single e-waste management
facility includes the cost of recycling plants and machinery of around 155,000 QAR alongside an
operational cost of 180,000 QAR per month(20). To run a facility for 12 month - including the initial cost
of capital but ignoring the cost of land - would add up to 2.3 million QAR. Furthermore, Each of these
facilities must be built in an environmentally conscious manner and suppliers of these machinery must
be contacted to ensure that they follow the safety regulations. (21) Thus this solution poses a financial
problem.

Figure 3: An overview of the e-waste recycling operation (20)

This solution is not entirely viable within Qatar's context; most existing e-waste facilities require a fee
accompanying any waste given to them; Power Waste Management and Transport Company W.L.L., an
e-waste management facility in Qatar, requires a fee of 450 QAR per trip (23), this fee can be intimidating
to consumers and may dishearten individuals and companies from exercising these services. Moreover,
introducing more facilities without a proper policy to monitor them will only result in more opportunities
for chaos and disorder.(21) Facilities may exploit varying practices - some of which may not follow the
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-10

proper manner of disassembling the electronic components. As a result this solution is not entirely
sustainable in the long term.

2. Increasing Product Lifespan

The dynamic trend of the products in the electronics market plays a vital role in the amount of e-waste
generated as it increases the rate at which an equipment is deemed unusable and consequently waste. If
the lifespan of each individual product is increased the resulting waste will be less or otherwise will take
much longer to reach the unusable/waste stage. While the electronic market in Qatar is competitive it is
smaller in size and diversity than other markets around the world; thus controlling the companies within
the market is possible with enough effort. (22) This solution is therefore highly efficient in solving the
problem of e-waste.

Many companies opt for planned obsolescence - a marketing strategy wherein products are made to
become obsolete rapidly so more products are purchased to replace them. Thus convincing companies
to stop using this evidently beneficial marketing tactic is rather implausible. (24) Since many of these
companies have long designed their products with this tactic in mind, changing this would require a lot
of market research; making the solution not easy to implement. Furthermore the implementation of this
solution would be extremely costly for the companies and all parties involved.

Since it is both expensive to implement and rather difficult to employ, this solution is deemed not viable
within the short term and within most contexts (including that of Qatar).

3. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

In order to abide by the extended producer responsibility policy producers and distributors will need to
manage their products after they are out of use; while this management has a cost of its own, it costs
less than changing the original design of the product. (14) This cost is much less than that of the two prior
solutions and as a result this solution is found to be the most cost effective amongst those researched.

Since the producer of the product is the one responsible for its discarding the product is dealt with
before it is POM; the problem is solved by focusing attention on its source. The EPR policy is hence very
efficient. Additionally some companies will lean into making their products out of more easily recycled
material, and making them easier to disassemble. Some producers will even look into increasing their
product’s life span in order to abide by the policy while maintaining the consistent profit.

Implementing a policy in a competitive market requires a lot of capital - in creating the order, managing
the progress of the policy, and dealing with any individuals or companies that opt not to follow the set
policy. In that sense it is difficult to implement. However, considering Qatar’s 2030 vision and the Qatari
government and citizens evident interest in environmental sustainability, will make convincing the
majority to side with the installment of this policy easier and as a result take away from the difficulty of
its implementation. (25)
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-11

Furthermore, the interest within the country towards sustainability and more specifically towards
creating the most advanced country - one which has policies that aid in its development, make this
solution highly viable as a final solution to the problem of e-waste within Qatar.

The implementation of an Extended producer responsibility policy is - following the placed criteria in
Figure 2 which assess the solutions under Qatar’s territory, governance, population, and competitive
market - the most effective recommendation for the problem.

VI. Discussion of Recommendation

Our team assessed the various previously implemented solutions worldwide to manage e-waste through
sustainable means. Ultimately, we deduced that the most effective and feasible solution to implement in
Qatar is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Through an EPR policy, e-waste is reduced and the
recycling of electronic products released into the market is mandated by assigning producers the
responsibility of supervising their product throughout its life cycle. They are further responsible for
ascertaining the product's recyclability by using recyclable packaging. In today's digital world, it is
undoubtedly true that e-waste cannot be eradicated entirely. However, extending the responsibility of
producers to recycle their products will minimize e-waste without demanding an unrealistic increase in
electronic product lifespan or expensive e-waste management facilities. Qatar's 2030 vision aspires to
achieve sustainable development. We strongly believe that an EPR policy is the stepping stone towards
that goal.
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-12

VII. References
(1) Iattoni, G., Vermeersch, E., Nnorom, D. I., Baldé , D. C. P., & Kuehr, D. R. (2022, May 23).
The Regional E-waste Monitor for the Arab States 2021. Retrieved from
https://ewastemonitor.info/regional-e-waste-monitor-for-the-arab-states-2021/.

(2) Nabeela, (2021, March 23). How to dispose e-waste in Qatar. Iloveqatar.
https://www.iloveqatar.net/guide/living/how-to-dispose-e-waste-in-qatar/.

(3) Dr. Patrick Linke | Texas A&M University at Qatar. Texas A&M University at Qatar. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 23, 2022, from
https://www.qatar.tamu.edu/academics/chemical-engineering/faculty-and-staff/dr.-patrick-linke

(4) Nair, M. (2022, July 18). Tips to find credible sources for research: A guide for students. University of
the People. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from
https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/ultimate-student-guide-to-finding-credible-sources/#:~:text=fi
nd%20credible%20sources.-,1.,be%20credible%20sources%20for%20research.

(5) Peer Review & Scholarly Sources: Why use scholarly sources? Research Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 29, 2022, from https://guides.emich.edu/scholarly/why

(6) Thukral, S., Shree, D., & Singhal, S. (2022, April 29). Consumer behaviour towards storage, disposal
and recycling of e-waste: Systematic Review and future research prospects. Benchmarking: An
International Journal.
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/BIJ-12-2021-0774/full/html?skipTrackin
g=true

(7) Walker, L. (2015, January 12). Survey: Qatar residents seeking more recycling facilities.
Doha News. https://dohanews.co/survey-qatar-households-sparks-calls-recycling/

(8) Mohammed, S. (2021, August 10). Waste Awareness in Qatar: A Survey. Ecomena.
https://www.ecomena.org/waste-awareness-in-qatar/

(9) Iberdrola. (2021, April 22). Planned obsolescence and its environmental impact.
https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/planned-obsolescence

(10) Durable goods. more Sustainable Products, better consumer rights. BEUC. (n.d.).
https://www.beuc.eu/durable-goods-more-sustainable-products-better-consumer-rights

(11) CEUTA Healthcare. (2021, March 12). How to extend the product life cycle.
https://www.ceutahealthcare.com/latest-news/how-to-extend-the-product-life-cycle

(12) Martin, D. B. (2022, March 28). How Africa is leading the way in dealing with ‘e-waste’. climate
champions.
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-13

https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/how-africa-is-leading-the-way-in-dealing-with-e-waste/.

(13) Extended producer responsibility. OECD. (n.d.).

https://www.oecd.org/env/tools-evaluation/extendedproducerresponsibility.htm

(14) Extended producer responsibility (EPR): Become compliant now! EPR Compliance Marketplace
Sellers. (2022, March 30). Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://epr-info.com

(15) Rogoff, M. (2014). Extended Producer Responsibility. Solid Waste Recycling and Processing (Second
Edition).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/extended-producer-respon
sibility

(16) Surak, S. M. (2018, December 5). extended producer responsibility. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/extended-producer-responsibility

(17) Clarke, R. (2022, February 9). What is extended producer responsibility? Treehugger.
https://www.treehugger.com/what-is-extended-producer-responsibility-5193255

(18) Ibrahim, M. (2022, June 15). Qatar to expand recycling with New Waste Management Centre. Doha
News Qatar. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from
https://dohanews.co/qatars-to-expand-recycling-with-new-waste-management-centre/

(19) Nnorom, I. C., & Osibanjo, O. (2008). Overview of electronic waste (e-waste) management practices
and legislations, and their poor applications in the developing countries. Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, 52(6), 843–858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.01.004

(20) Rathore, A. (2021, March 4). Business setup for e-waste recycling. Electronics For You. Retrieved
October 29, 2022, from
https://www.electronicsforu.com/technology-trends/must-read/business-setup-e-waste-recyclin
g

(21) Gollakota, A. R. K., Gautam, S., & Shu, C.-M. (2020). Inconsistencies of e-waste management in
developing nations – facts and plausible solutions. Journal of Environmental Management, 261,
110234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110234

(22) Laitala, K., Klepp, I. G., Haugrønning, V., Throne-Holst, H., & Strandbakken, P. (2021). Increasing
repair of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing: Experiences from consumers and
the repair industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 282, 125349.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125349

(23) Power Waste Management and Transport Company W.L.L. (n.d.). Power Waste Management and
Transport Company W.L.L. Homepage. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from
http://www.pwmtqatar.com/
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-14

(24) Gecit, B. B. (2020). Planned obsolescence: A keyword analysis. Pressacademia, 7(4), 227–233.
https://doi.org/10.17261/pressacademia.2020.1335

(25) Scharfenort, N. (2012). Urban Development and social change in Qatar: The Qatar National Vision
2030 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Journal of Arabian Studies, 2(2), 209–230.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21534764.2012.736204
 E-waste is Everyone’s Problem-15

VIII. Appendices

Appendix A: Interview question for Dr. Patrick Linke

a. You are the co-founder / director of the Qatar Sustainable Water and Energy Utilization
Initiative (QWE) and were awarded Best Sustainability Initiative by Construction Weekly
Qatar Awards back in 2012 - to say that you are experienced with sustainability would be
an understatement. What is sustainability in your opinion?

b. What is the role of e-waste management in sustainability, could you tell us more about
that?

c. What about e-waste management, what has been your experience with e-waste
management? Has your work been more focused on waste management or e-waste
management?

d. Would you say e-waste management and production is a problem worldwide and in
qatar?

e. From your experience what solution would you recommend in order to manage the
production of e-waste and its improper disposal?