The world's cell phone users are watching as a big transition takes place: Cell networks are moving from 3G to the new 4G, and users are starting to make the transition. It won't be long until the next big development in network connectivity is announced.
But what do cell service providers do with all the old 3G equipment and technology used to provide the old 3G access? Much of it must be de-manufactured, as no one else wants the old technology.
This is just one example of the e-waste issue that is becoming a hot topic. As technological progress excels, more and more discarded e-waste is going to landfills or being shipped to developing countries. This National Geographic article is an excellent read for understanding the hazards that e-waste creates for people and for the environment.
Having worked in supply chain for many years (read “decades”), I have a keen understanding of the reverse logistics challenges that organizations face on a regular basis – especially in dealing with final disposition of products.
The 3G to 4G network change is just one example of the growing e-waste issue, as the most powerful PCs being produced right this moment will be obsolete incredibly fast. And today, cell phones themselves are changed so often that it’s almost as if they were fashion accessories.
There are already some regulations being made in response to the issue, such as states requiring retailers to accept customers' old cell phones for recycling. But the really exciting news is that technology manufacturers are also responding to the problem themselves by creating their own internal regulations to handle e-waste before any official regulations are even created.
In the United States, a number of companies take e-waste and recycle it into materials that can be re-sold, keeping the lead, mercury, arsenic and other hazardous substances out of the soil and water. However, oftentimes, companies like this are only able to operate regionally. The cost of transporting e-waste from its origin point to a sorting/processing facility is usually higher than the profits that can be gained from de-manufacturing.
These many small companies create opportunity for a business to merge with or acquire a number of these smaller operations to create something large-scale. This is just one possible business opportunity that this emerging e-waste issue could create. By moving these smaller operations to a more large-scale effort, more recycling and reusing can take place as a larger operation can solve the problem of high transportation costs.
For the most part, as we consume new technology and dump the old, we have been able to apply a “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy to the problem.
But with more rapid technological advancement (which shows no sign of slowing) the problem will continue to grow, potentially harming the environment and human health. Using innovation in business to create a response to the problem that helps make high technology sustainable will be a key factor in solving this global issue.
GoGoGo!
Jim
Resources
Greening the Supply Chain and Sustainable Business Resources
Getting the Green Light: Environmental Success Stories from the Supply Chain Consortium
Top Ten List of Issues/Opportunities Facing High-Tech Companies
Service Supply Chain
Photo Credit: parityytirap