185
10.2.2 The International Market of Electrical and Electronic
Equipment
In the past two decades, the electronic industry and the communication and information technology sector, in particular, revolutionized the world. Today, electrical
and electronic equipment is ubiquitously present in homes, offices, and organizations across the globe. So it comes as no surprise that life in both developed and
developing nations would be simply possible without these devices (GSMA 2015).
Research has shown that the international market of electrical and electronic
equipment like TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and sound systems has
reached a plateau in developed countries. But these markets continue to expand in
developing nations due to perceptibly apparent factors like population growth and
the increase in the income of families. This scenario explains the growth in the generation of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) per person in Latin
America, compared with the rest of the world. For Araújo (2013), electrical and
electronical equipment markets in developed countries have reached a full maturity
status. Yet, a different trend is observed for computers, tablets, and cell phones,
whose sales in general continue to increase worldwide.
Besides the fast-paced technological evolution and the search for high-quality
electrical and electronic equipment and services accessed through these devices,
improved power of purchase induces consumers to replace electrical and electronic
equipment more often today compared to what was seen in the recent past (Kasper
2011). Today it is also clear that despite market saturation, the fast replacement of
technologies signals continually growing sales, given that consumers will naturally
wish to buy new, more technologically advanced goods (Araújo 2013).
10.2.3 Supply and Demand of Chemical Elements
in the Manufacture of Electrical and Electronic
Equipment
Technological advances and the increasing demand for state-of-the-art devices are the
main factors behind the high requirements for chemical elements in the production of
electrical and electronic equipment in the near future. For Henckens et al. (2016), the
volumes of ore extracted from the Earth increase sharply at the same time that sources
dwindle; such is the case of elements like antimony, molybdenum, and zinc (Zn), all
of which are essential in the production of electrical and electronic equipment. The
world faces the actual risk of running out of these elements within a century or even a
few decades if volumes extracted continue to increase at current rates.
Sustainable industrial growth depends on stable supplies of natural resources.
Metals are increasingly important in the expansion of industrial sectors like infor10 E-waste Management and the Conservation of Geochemical Scarce Resources
10.2.2 The International Market of Electrical and Electronic
Equipment
In the past two decades, the electronic industry and the communication and information technology sector, in particular, revolutionized the world. Today, electrical
and electronic equipment is ubiquitously present in homes, offices, and organizations across the globe. So it comes as no surprise that life in both developed and
developing nations would be simply possible without these devices (GSMA 2015).
Research has shown that the international market of electrical and electronic
equipment like TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and sound systems has
reached a plateau in developed countries. But these markets continue to expand in
developing nations due to perceptibly apparent factors like population growth and
the increase in the income of families. This scenario explains the growth in the generation of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) per person in Latin
America, compared with the rest of the world. For Araújo (2013), electrical and
electronical equipment markets in developed countries have reached a full maturity
status. Yet, a different trend is observed for computers, tablets, and cell phones,
whose sales in general continue to increase worldwide.
Besides the fast-paced technological evolution and the search for high-quality
electrical and electronic equipment and services accessed through these devices,
improved power of purchase induces consumers to replace electrical and electronic
equipment more often today compared to what was seen in the recent past (Kasper
2011). Today it is also clear that despite market saturation, the fast replacement of
technologies signals continually growing sales, given that consumers will naturally
wish to buy new, more technologically advanced goods (Araújo 2013).
10.2.3 Supply and Demand of Chemical Elements
in the Manufacture of Electrical and Electronic
Equipment
Technological advances and the increasing demand for state-of-the-art devices are the
main factors behind the high requirements for chemical elements in the production of
electrical and electronic equipment in the near future. For Henckens et al. (2016), the
volumes of ore extracted from the Earth increase sharply at the same time that sources
dwindle; such is the case of elements like antimony, molybdenum, and zinc (Zn), all
of which are essential in the production of electrical and electronic equipment. The
world faces the actual risk of running out of these elements within a century or even a
few decades if volumes extracted continue to increase at current rates.
Sustainable industrial growth depends on stable supplies of natural resources.
Metals are increasingly important in the expansion of industrial sectors like infor10 E-waste Management and the Conservation of Geochemical Scarce Resources