Newswise — What do you do with computers, cell phones, printers, laptops, televisions and other electronic devices when they die?
West Virginia University will host "RECCON '05: Global Electronics Recycling Solutions," an international conference Nov. 28-30 at the Radisson Hotel, to address the question.
Representatives from industry, government and academe will be looking at ways to handle the "e-waste" that is discarded every year " some estimate as much as 20-50 million tons worldwide.
"RECCON '05 has been organized as a global forum for sharing information, ideas and innovative solutions to the challenges facing the electronics recycling community," said John D. Weete, vice president for research and economic development at WVU.
"This conference will offer an international program highlighting speakers from the United States, Europe and Asia who are recognized experts in their field." Topics will include U.S./China end-of-life electronics trade relations; industrial internalization; economic development in industrial America; and cutting-edge legislative issues, he added.
Keynote speaker on Monday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. is William McDonough, founding partner of William McDonough + Partners, Architecture and Community Design, an internationally recognized design firm practicing ecologically, socially and economically intelligent architecture and planning in the U.S. and abroad. His topic will be "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things." McDonough will also take part in a panel discussion Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Other speakers include Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, D-WV; Juan Lopez, Office of the Environmental Executive, EPA; Carlos Rovelo, U.S. Dept. of Commerce; key executives from Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, Fortune Plastics and Metal, Holland & Knight and Matchushita; and government and private industry representatives from Spain, Holland, Switzerland, China and Canada.
Cong. Mollohan, who headed West Virginia's delegation to RECCON '03 held in Bilbao, Spain, has been a leading advocate of end-of-life electronics recycling.
"We are pleased to be part of the economic development initiatives between West Virginia and the Basque Region of Spain led by Cong. Mollohan," Dr. Weete said.
WVU and the Polymer Alliance Zone of West Virginia, through the MARCEE project (Mid-Atlantic Recycling Center for End-of-Life Electronics), established a regional model for end-of-life electronics recycling. The MARCEE project is supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy through the National Energy Technology Laboratory with funding provided by Mollohan.
"The Congressman has been a very strong supporter of this project," Weete said, "and we are very appreciative of his dedication to this economic development initiative. RECCON '05 will enable us to showcase what is going on in West Virginia with electronics recycling technology."
For a complete list of speakers and the RECCON '05 agenda, visit: http://www.wvu.edu/~RECCON05/
"The agenda will address topics with many implications for the future," Weete added. "The goal of this conference is to provide information on available resources, global insights to existing programs, innovative solutions to challenges, and opportunities for collaboration and partnering on a global scale."
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