A Critical Interrogation of e-Waste Management in Canada: Evaluating Performance of Environmental Management Systems

Abstract

Electronic waste or E-waste is one of the main sources of harmful toxic pollutants (polyvinyl chlorides, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead and mercury). E-waste also represents a potent source of valuable metals such as gold, silver, palladium, and copper. As such, the end-of-life management of consumed ICT goods presents a multifaceted site for scholarly research. We developed an empirical method of performance evaluation and conducted a comprehensive assessment of Canadian e-waste management practices and discourse. Although Canada has environmental regulations on e-waste, we find that some Canadian e-waste management companies espouse a discourse of corporate responsibility that is contradicted by actual practice