**5. Conclusion**

The design, production, sale and use of electronics takes place at the global scale. These initial stages in the life cycle of electronics pose a series of hazards to human health and the environment. Similarly, the disposal and recycling of electronics routinely entails the movement of hazardous materials across national borders. Growing government and industry interest in the recovery of secondary raw materials, such as the rare earth elements from e-waste, is leading towards an increase in the: development of strategies to increase recycling rates (which currently stand at approximately 20% globally), as well as in the development of formal, mechanized processes for recycling e-waste at the end-processing stage. In some cases, this has entailed the development of enabling legislation such as EPR "take-back" laws, and in other cases this has led to pilot projects that promote partnerships between recyclers in the formal and informal sectors. While there are many additional steps that can be taken in order to ensure that recipients of waste are adequately prepared to manage and recycle them in an environmentally sound manner, progress has been made. As these developments unfold, regulation and oversight will play a decisive role in mitigating the myriad risks to human health and the environment that can result from e-waste recycling.

#### **Acknowledgements**

This chapter was partially funded by the Boston College Open Access Publishing Fund.

*Assessment and Management of Radioactive and Electronic Wastes*
