Reducing E-waste By Design, Standards, Business & Policy
Explore how smart design, policy, and global action can reduce the impact of e-waste.
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
4 hoursLanguages
English, Italiano, Español, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Italiano, Español100% online
How it worksDigital upgrade
Free
Reducing E-waste By Design, Standards, Business & Policy
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Reduce global e-waste through smarter systems and sustainable innovation
From broken laptops to used batteries and outdated TVs, electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing global waste streams, posing serious risks to the environment and human health.
On this two-week course, you’ll explore how the issue of e-waste can be tackled from multiple angles, including eco-design, improved standards, and informed policy.
You’ll examine the lifecycle of electronic products, including how to reduce waste by design.
Learn how to shift from a linear to a circular economy using eco-design principles and discover practical tools that governments, businesses, and individuals can use to prevent and reduce e-waste.
Understand the role of global policy in reducing e-waste
You’ll first look into existing international agreements, like the Basel Convention. Learning how these policy instruments help regulate the movement of hazardous waste and promote sustainable disposal.
You’ll also become familiar with ITU-T Recommendations and guidance from initiatives like PACE and MPPI.
Explore sustainable solutions and incentives for global action
Learn how to identify and apply international standards and environmental best practices. You’ll examine how internal and external incentives relate to corporate responsibility.
You’ll study real-world case studies showing how community initiatives are helping reduce e-waste.
Build a circular future through better management and design
Lastly, you’ll understand the dangers of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in e-waste plastics, the complexity of international waste classifications, and how to manage various waste types responsibly.
By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools to identify sustainable actions for reducing e-waste and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Syllabus
Week 1
Strategies to prevent and minimize e-waste
Welcome to the course
In this section, we introduce you to the course structure, team, and navigation. You'll explore key articles, introduce yourself to fellow learners, and learn how to engage with the content effectively.
Strategies for preventing and minimizing e-waste
Let's look at approaches to prevent and minimize e-waste, adopt a circular economy model. Consumers must change habits; manufacturers should design durable, safe, recyclable electronics, reducing environmental impact.
Preventing hazardous e-waste by design
In this activity we look at preventing hazardous e-waste by design and moving towards a zero-waste economy.
Design for environmental sustainability
In this activity we will look at how life-cycle thinking encourages designers to create electronics that are easier to reuse, remanufacture, and recover.
Greener electronics
Designing for environmental sustainability in electronics means creating devices with eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient components, and end-of-life recyclability, ensuring greener products and reduced waste.
Week 2
E-waste across the borders
International co-operation and control
In this section, we examine the significance of countries collaborating to strengthen international cooperation and control.
Waste or not: Why does it matter?
In this activity, we look at the definitions of e-waste in different countries.
Persistent organic pollutants
In this activity we discuss POPs or persistent organic pollutants, why they are a problem and what is being done to eliminate POPs.
Instruments and policies
In this activity, you will explore e-waste policy instruments, including legislation and financial measures for businesses and stakeholders to address the e-waste challenges.
Internal and external incentives
Here we look at the internal and external incentives for individuals, communities, and organizations to face up to the e-waste challenge.
Be informed: Guidelines and international standards
In this activity, you will find summaries of international standards for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of e-waste, including mobile phones, telecommunications equipment, computers, and refrigerators.
Key guidelines
In this section, we look at the key guidelines you need to be aware of.
Key standards
Discover ITU international standards (called ITU-T Recommendations) on a wide range of telecommunication and information technology devices and wider aspects of the subject.
Quiz
You've come to the end of this course and all that is left is a quick quiz and summary.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify ways to reduce e-waste generation by consumers, retailers, and producers.
- Explain how eco-design and good e-waste management advance sustainability goals and support a circular economy.
- Summarise how international conventions aim to protect health and stop illegal e-waste trade and dumping.
- Identify key standards and guidelines for environmentally sound management of various e-waste types.
- Identify key standards and guidelines for environmentally sound management of various e-waste types.
Who is the course for?
This course is for graduate students, policymakers, business leaders, administrators, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in the environmental and health impacts of e-waste.
Who will you learn with?
Who developed the course?
EIT RawMaterials
Initiated and funded by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), a body of the European Union, EIT RawMaterials is the largest European raw materials partnership.
Basel Convention Secretariat
The Basel Convention Secretariat is joint with the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariats and it is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/BRS Secretariat). The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is a global Multilateral Environmental Agreement aiming to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects which may result from the generation and management of hazardous and other wastes.
World Resources Forum
The World Resources Forum (WRF) is an international non-profit organisation that addresses the economic, political, social and environmental impacts of global resource use.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for digital technologies (ICTs). The Organization is made up of a membership of 194 Member States and more than 1000 companies, universities and international and regional organizations. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and with regional offices on every continent, ITU is the oldest agency in the UN family – connecting the world since the dawn of the telegraph in 1865.
Endorsers and supporters
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What's included?
EIT RawMaterials are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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