1 Abstract—The segregation of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the generating source, its characterization (quali-quantitative) and identification of origin, besides being integral parts of classification reports, are crucial steps to the success of its integrated management. The aim of this paper was to count WEEE generation at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil, as well as to define sources, temporary storage sites, main transportations routes and destinations, the most generated WEEE and its recycling potential. Quantification of WEEE generated at the University in the years between 2010 and 2015 was performed using data analysis provided by UFES’s sector of assets management. EEE and WEEE flow in the campuses information were obtained through questionnaires applied to the University workers. It was recorded 6028 WEEEs units of data processing equipment disposed by the university between 2010 and 2015. Among these waste, the most generated were CRT screens, desktops, keyboards and printers. Furthermore, it was observed that these WEEEs are temporarily stored in inappropriate places at the University campuses. In general, these WEEE units are donated to NGOs of the city, or sold through auctions (2010 and 2013). As for recycling potential, from the primary processing and further sale of printed circuit boards (PCB) from the computers, the amount collected could reach U$ 27,839.23. The results highlight the importance of a WEEE management policy at the University. Keywords—Solid waste, waste of electric and electronic equipment, waste management, institutional generation of solid waste. I. INTRODUCTION CONOMIC development, industrialization, local social habits, location and climate highly influence the rate of Urban Solid Waste (USW) generation. Usually, higher economic development and urbanization leads to a higher waste generation [1]. Nowadays, there are more than 206 million Brazilian citizens engender USW [2], what caused an estimated generation of 78.6 million tons approximately in 2014 and this would produce an increase of 2.9% in comparison to 2013 [3]. One of the biggest challenges of modern society is to address the excessive generation, bearing in mind destination (treatment, reutilization and recycling) and environmentally safe final disposal of the waste. A. S. T. Gomes and L. A. Souza are graduation students at Environmental Engineering Department with the Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 29075-910. (e-mail: andressa.siegle@hotmail.com, luizaazevedos@hotmail.com). L. H. Yamane is with the Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 29075-910 (e-mail: luciana.yamane@ufes.br ). R. R. Siman is with the Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 29075-910 (corresponding author to provide phone: +55 27 3335-2676; e-mail: renato.siman@ ufes.br). The composition of Urban Solid Waste varies from country to country. It depends on economic status, industrial structure and the regulations governing the waste management [4]. Some typical materials on the composition of waste such as rags, leather, cloths, rubber and electronic waste [5]. According to the Associação Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Industrial (ABDI), which is a Brazilian Association of Industrial Development [6], electrical and electronic equipment are all those products whose operation depends on the use of electric current or electromagnetic fields. At the end of their useful life are considered WEEE [6]. The production of WEEE comes up with the global development trend. The rate of generation of WEEE in the world increases 5% per year [7]. In a report published by the United Nations University (UNU), the estimated generation in 2014 was 41.8 million tons of WEEE in a global scale. From those 41.8 million, 3 million tons were composed by technology and information equipment such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. A projection for 2018 indicates the generation of 50 million tons of WEEE [8]. Developing countries will discard 400-700 million computers by 2030, while developed countries will discard 200-300 million [9]. The electronics industry illustrates the fast production dynamics, due to the increasing consumption and the corresponded waste generation [10]. It occurs rather than only because of the fast technological development and the expansion of the market, but due to the trend of shortening of the useful lifetime of electronics equipment, called programmed or planned obsolescence [10]. In addition, the increasing volume generation of WEEE, combined to its complex composition, creates difficulties to their treatment and disposal [10]. WEEE is considered toxic to human health and to the environment because it often has harmful compounds in its composition [11]. The lack of worldwide solution for electronic waste treatment and the environmental concerns of illegal recycling practices justify and offer an increasing incentive for further studies to enlarge recycling practices and legal disposal [12]. Electronic equipment can present in their composition up to 60 different elements, from valuable to dangerous ones [13]. The metals found on WEEE embrace copper, iron, nickel, aluminum, lead and zinc [14]. The precious metals are silver (0.2%), gold (0.1%) and palladium (0.005%) and are shaped as thin film over other base metals and ceramics [14]. The quantity of valuable metals found on WEEE is significant, considering that the concentration of gold present on the Printed Circuits Board (PCB) is higher than the Quantification of E-Waste: A Case Study in Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil Andressa S. T. Gomes, Luiza A. Souza, Luciana H. Yamane, Renato R. Siman E World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:11, No:2, 2017 195 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 11(2) 2017 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:11, No:2, 2017 publications.waset.org/10006547/pdf