10 07 29 Master thesis Juliana Leon - e-Waste. This guide

declared to get from time to time electronic devices such as TVs, VCRs, cell phones,
microwaves, and PCs, when working in residential sectors. Those that have a
particular interest in e-waste work in or near technology malls where the computer
shop density is high and regularly receive parts of devices not useful anymore for the
repair shops. Once computers are in the hands of the recicladores, technical services
or intermediaries, the pathway is always the same: they verify which parts are still
working and they use or sell them as supplies for reparation or refurbishment of other
computers. The rest of the computer is manually dismantled and materials are sold to
intermediaries.
3.3.2 Informal refurbishment and reparation
In Colombia, repair and refurbishment of PCs is a very common practice carried out
in informal or semi-formal workshops. Small family ventures and middlemen buy
obsolete PCs stocks directly from businesses or via auctions (see chapter 3.2.2,
even if businesses frequently extract some parts for maintenance of other PCs. The
refurbishing activities include one or more of the following activities: assembling of
new and old parts, repair, upgrading of some components, cleaning, painting of the
casing, software installation, and test runs. In other words, they give a new life to
discarded electronic equipments, which can be translated to less e-waste to be
treated and access to low cost technology (Figure 10).
Figure 10: Impressions of Medellín’s “Plaza Minorista” a traditional place were IS
refurbishment, dismantling and trade is practiced. Small IT shops (left) and PCs ready for a
second life in the counter of a refurbisher (right).
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