E-waste or electronic waste is created when an electronic product is discarded after the end of its useful life . The rapid expansion of technology and the consumption driven society results in the creation of a very large amount of e-waste.
Why is e-waste a growing problem?
The improper disposal of electronic products leads to the possibility of damaging the environment . As more e-Waste is placed in landfills, exposure to environmental toxins is likely to increase, resulting in elevated risks of cancer and developmental and neurological disorders.
What will happen if e-waste continues?
However, most electronic waste still ends up in landfills or gets incinerated , wasting useful resources and releasing toxic chemicals and other pollutants — such as lead, mercury, and cadmium — into the soil, groundwater, and atmosphere to the detriment of the environment.
What is EEE and e-waste?
Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use (Step Initiative 2014).
What is e-waste give two examples?
Examples of electronic waste include, but not limited to: TVs, computer monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables, circuit boards, lamps, clocks, flashlight, calculators, phones, answering machines, digital/video cameras, radios, VCRs, DVD players, MP3 and CD players.
Where is e-waste dumped?
“A substantial proportion of e-waste exports go to countries outside Europe, including west African countries . Treatment in these countries usually occurs in the informal sector, causing significant environmental pollution and health risks for local populations,” he said.
What is e-waste and how it can be managed?
E-waste recyclers use processes such as open incineration and acid-leeching . This situation could be improved by creating awareness and improving the infrastructure of recycling units along with the prevalent policies. The majority of the e-waste collected in India is managed by an unorganized sector.
Why e-waste is important?
The ability to obtain and recycle the materials from e-waste helps limit the need for mining them from the Earth . This conserves natural resources worldwide. The United Nations found that precious metal deposits in electronic waste are between 40 to 50 times richer than found in ore mined from the earth.
Why e-waste is increasing at a fast rate?
The rapid rise in e-waste recovery is due in large part to three factors: increased spending on electronic products, enhanced awareness of its high toxicity, and the growing recognition of the valuable substances found in some electronic components .
How is e-waste a challenge for sustainable development?
E-waste has been identified as the fastest growing waste stream in the world at present. Rapid socio-economic development and technological advancement are the main drivers of this trend. The hazardous chemical components of e-waste have potential adverse impacts on ecosystems and human health if not managed properly .
What is the biggest problem with e-waste?
E-waste contains a laundry list of chemicals that are harmful to people and the environment , like: mercury, lead, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, and cadmium, i.e. stuff that sounds as bad as it is. When electronics are mishandled during disposal, these chemicals end up in our soil, water, and air.
How does e-waste damage the environment?
When e-waste is exposed to the heat, toxic chemicals are released into the air damaging the atmosphere ; this is one of the biggest environmental impacts of e-waste. Those toxic materials can then seep into the groundwater, affecting both land and sea animals. Electronic waste can also contribute to air pollution.
What happens if e-waste is not recycled?
When improper disposal of e-waste in regular landfills or in places where it is dumped illegally, both heavy metals and flame retardants can seep directly from the e-waste into the soil, causing contamination of underlying groundwater or contamination of crops that may be planted near by or in the area in the future.
Where does e-waste go in Australia?
In Australia, the steel can be recycled into new steel products and the plastic is used to make asphalt. The graphene is sent overseas where it is used to make new batteries and the copper and aluminum is sent overseas for processing into metal alloys.
What are 5 categories of e-waste?
- Fridges, freezers and other cooling equipment.
- Computers and telecommunications equipment.
- Consumer electronic devices and solar panels.
- TVs, monitors and screens.
- LED bulbs.
- Vending machines.
What is e-waste class 12?
– Electronic waste is discarded from electronic or electrical appliances and machines . – Used electronic devices meant for re-use, recovery, resale, and disposal or recycling are often referred to as e-waste.
How can e-waste be disposed in India?
It is, therefore, advised to never look for dumping e-waste into a dustbin. Alternatively, you should look for an authorised e-waste recycler to safely dispose of your electronic waste including computer peripherals, dated mobile phones, printed circuit boards, dry cells, and lithium batteries, among others.
Which country produces the most e-waste per year?
China is the largest producer of electronic waste worldwide, generating more than 10 million metric tons worth in 2019.
What devices are included in e-waste?
A. E-waste refers to electronic products nearing the end of their “useful life”, for example, computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines .
What products can be created from e-waste?
- Refurbished Devices. We have seen many sales or signs advertising refurbished devices. ...
- Jewelry. Gold and silver are often used to make jewelry. ...
- Furniture. ...
- Other Accessories. ...
- New Appliances. ...
- Kept As Collectibles. ...
- Wiring.
Do we burn e-waste?
Burning e-waste can be used as a disposal method or way to extract valuable metals such as copper . However, the burning of computer monitors and other electronics can lead to the release of pollutants (such as hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and brominated dioxins) into the air.
How does e-waste end up in Africa?
The Agbogbloshie dump is a result of the world’s increasing demand for electronic equipment as consumers continually upgrade their devices and throw out the older ones . A significant proportion of this electronic waste is sent, often illegally, from the West to developing countries across Africa and Asia.
Why is e-waste sent to China?
Foreign. Large amounts of foreign e-waste, mostly from the developed Western world, have been imported into China since the 1970s. Cheaper labor and lax environmental standards attracted e-waste from developed countries that could save much of the cost of processing the waste domestically .
How e-waste can be mitigated?
This work has also highlighted that e-waste mitigation can be effective if it concentrates on effective implementation of e-waste policy, directives and regulations such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), advance recycling fee (ARF) etc., technological and green innovations in recycling network and strategic ...
