This paper presents downstream cost-benefit analysis for electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workers in Pakistan, a country that both generates large quantities of e-waste domestically and imports a significant amount from developed countries. Financial cost-benefit elements – reduction in productive capacity, lost wages, medical expenses, wages (and meals) and non-financial cost-benefit elements – opportunity cost, cost of illiteracy and value of life have been quantified. Primary data collected on site was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The estimated total net economic cost to recycling workers is between Rs.34,069 and Rs.85,478 (US$ 203–510¹) per month or an average of Rs.50,363 (US$ 300) per worker. This main finding suggests that cost exceeds by 2.6–4.7 times the estimated economic benefits derived by these workers. Related qualitative data suggests government and owners of recycling businesses are largely blind to many of the less visible costs of this industry, while recycling workers and their families appear trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Understanding that what can be measured can be managed and improved, a systematic assessment of informal recycling based on identified impact factors may help mitigate and ideally also motivate a shift towards formal processing that would reduce the downstream negative impacts, both visible and hidden.

本文介绍了巴基斯坦电子废物（电子废物）回收工人的下游成本效益分析，该国既在国内产生大量电子废物，又从发达国家进口大量电子废物。财务成本效益要素–生产能力下降，工资损失，医疗费用，工资（和伙食）减少以及非财务成本效益要素–机会成本，文盲成本和生活价值得到了量化。使用定量和定性方法分析现场收集的主要数据。估计回收工人的净经济总成本在34,069卢比至85,478卢比之间（203-510美元^1））或每个工人平均50,363卢比（300美元）。该主要发现表明，成本超过这些工人获得的估计经济收益的2.6-4.7倍。相关的定性数据表明，政府和回收企业的所有者对这个行业的许多鲜为人知的成本视而不见，而回收工人及其家庭似乎陷入了贫困的恶性循环中。认识到可以测量和管理的东西可以加以管理和改进，因此基于已确定的影响因素对非正式回收进行系统评估可以帮助缓解并在理想情况下促使人们转向正式流程，以减少下游的可见和隐藏负面影响。