Life cycle-based environmental, social, and economic assessment of waste printed circuit board management in isolated island areas: A case study in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

The rapid increase in the use of electronic equipment has led to a significant rise in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), which can pose severe environmental risks if not properly managed. This study evaluates the environmental, social, and economic performances of four WPCB management scenarios for island communities, using a comprehensive framework that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). When constructing the scenarios, scenario 1 considered the mechanical separation of WPCBs with subsequent recycling of the metallic fractions and direct landfilling of the non-metallic fractions. In scenario 2, compared to scenario 1, the non-metallic fractions are incinerated before landfilling. Scenarios 3 and 4 involve the direct incineration and direct landfilling of the entire WPCBs, respectively. The results indicate that scenario 1 is the most favorable option. It yields the highest positive environmental (−4720 kg CO₂ eq. per tonne of WPCBs) and social (−30,679 ELU per tonne of WPCBs) impact while remaining economically viable. In contrast, scenario 3 exhibits the most significant negative impacts across all subcategories, and one-tonne WPCBs can contribute 2750 kg CO₂ eq. and 729 ELU in environmental and social perspectives in this case, respectively. The study emphasizes the importance of metal recovery processes in achieving sustainable WPCB management and provides critical insights for policymakers and waste management professionals in isolated island areas. This framework offers a robust tool for optimizing WPCB disposal systems, balancing the trade-offs between environmental sustainability, social impacts, and economic costs, and guiding future practices and policies in e-waste management.