TENS of thousands of Irish students are being left behind in the digital revolution

Extract from an Irish Independent article on Monday 10th August 2009

TENS of thousands of Irish students are being left behind in the digital revolution, and are losing out on skills to score the top jobs of the future, according to a confidential new report.

Years of under-investment has meant that Ireland has been "leapfrogged" by other countries as young people face a new era of fierce global competition for hi-tech jobs.

Surveys have already shown that much of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment in Irish schools is years old.

The report recommends
At least one laptop in every classroom, starting in infant and first-year primary school classes from this year.
Five desktop computers in every classroom, starting in 2010.
A Virtual Learning Environment network set up in the coming academic year at a cost of €5m.
Teacher training at the core of an investment plan for ICT integration in schools.

At the moment, usage of computers in Irish schools falls well below the EU average. And Ireland ranks at the very bottom in Europe when it comes to teachers' satisfaction with ICT infrastructure in schools.

See the full article here


Computers for Irish Schools was set up in 2008 to route computers, which are not quite ready for the recycling bin, to Irish Schools. If you are disposing of office IT equipment contact http://www.cfis.ie/ to see if some of that equipment is suitable for the program and can be donated to your local school

The e-Steward Standard is finished

The Basel Action Network is pleased to announce the solution to one of the most serious toxic waste issues of our time:

The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment®

The Standard is the result of long collaboration between the environmental community and leaders in the recycling, auditing, occupational health, data security, and manufacturing industries as well as from the accredited third party certification industry. It is the standard that will be applied in the e-Stewards third party audited, accredited certification for electronics recyclers that will be begin in early 2010.

Two documents are now available:

The complete e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment (which contains the entire ISO 14001 standard) that serves as the basis for official certifications. Our use of ISO proprietary language and our licensing of it from ANSI requires a purchase price. To purchase, click here to go to the purchase page, where you will see a "Buy Now" button. Or, send a check for $125 dollars payable to The Basel Action Network, 122 South Jackson Street, Suite 320, Seattle, WA, 98104, along with an email address and we will send you a PDF copy.

An excerpted version of the complete Standard, which contains all the industry-specific e-Stewards performance requirements, but only summarizes the ISO requirements. This version may not be used for the purposes of certification. The purpose of this excerpted document is to provide access to information about the specific e-Stewards requirements that are built into the ISO requirements for an environmental management system. This version is available at no cost and can be freely distributed. Click here to download.

See www.e-Stewards.org for more information.

Electronic Recycling processes all Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to the highest environmental standards using the best available technology
http://www.electronic-recycling.ie/

Brazil Waste: Shipping company to bring it back

Original story from Tiffany Holland: MRW 22 July 2009

The shipping company, which originally took the illegally exported UK waste over to Brazil will pay the cost of returning it to the UK, the Environment Agency has said.

Environment Agency head of waste and resource management Liz Parkes told MRW: “At the moment the waste, is under the control of the Brazilian authorities and we need to bring it back legally, which takes time. When all the paperwork concerning the waste is filled in and the Brazilian authorities have agreed to it we can ship it back to the UK.

“The shipping company that took it out there will be paying for it to be shipped back in the repatriation of the waste.”

It is believed that once Brazil has released the waste, it will take around six weeks to reach the UK.

As the EA investigates the situation, the real number of containers of illegally exported waste found in Brazil is not yet known. Initially, the EA was notified of two containers, but it seems a series of illegally exported shipments were made under the guise of plastic for recycling and the number of containers could now reach up to100.

Media reports have suggested that two Swindon companies are responsible for the shipments to Brazil, Parks was unable to comment on this.

Parkes said: “The EA already does a lot of work in this area by checking where waste is going and the quality of the waste. We have been pleased with our progress as there seems to be a much higher awareness now over material quality, so it is very disappointing that we have this fairly serious issue occurring still. It is also disappointing if it were to undermine public confidence in recycling.”

According to Parkes, regulations regarding waste movement have only recently been reviewed with tighter and tougher controls. However, there are difficulties policing certain waste such as Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment, as it is perfectly legal to export second-hand working electronics. However end-of-life broken electrical equipment is subject to export controls.

Parkes added: “I think the answer with waste in general is to ensure the markets are working properly and the right procedures are in place. It is up to all of us to sort waste properly.”

If those responsible for exporting waste to Brazil are taken to Crown Court they could be subject to unlimited fines and custodial sentences. If taken to a magistrates court, a £20,000 fine and two years in prison is the maximum punishment.

Sixty-four containers of hazardous waste were found on 17 July at three Brazilian ports (see MRW story). It was reported that this waste contained syringes, condoms, packs of blood and WEEE, although the EA could not comment on this

Electronic Recycling recyles all types of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to the highest standards using the best available technology
www.electronic-recycling.ie
AGT Technology Ireland, converting waste plastics to energy
www.agt-technology.ie