E- waste

1. Electronic waste [1]

E-waste, e-waste, e-scrap, and end-of-life electronics are terms commonly used to describe used electronic devices that are nearing the end of their useful life and are being damaged. discard, donate or give to a recycler. The United Nations defines e-waste as any discarded product that contains a battery or plug and contains toxic substances such as mercury, which can pose serious risks to human health and the environment.

According to the United Nations, by 2021, each person on the planet will generate an average of 7.6 kg of e-waste, meaning the entire world will generate a whopping 57.4 million tons. Only 17.4% of e-waste containing this mixture of toxic substances and precious materials will be recorded as being properly collected, treated and recycled. Many initiatives are being taken to address this growing concern, but none can be fully effective without an active role and proper education of consumers.

2. Environmental risks [1]

E-waste can be toxic, non-biodegradable and accumulate in the environment, in soil, air, water and living organisms. For example, open burning and acid baths used to recover valuable materials from electronic components release toxic materials that leach into the environment. These practices can also expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, beryllium, thallium, cadmium, and arsenic, as well as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls. metabolism, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancer, miscarriage, nerve damage and reduced IQ.

2.1. Climate change [1]

It is also important to consider the impact of electronic goods on climate change. Produce one ton of laptops and potentially emit 10 tons of CO2. When considering the amount of carbon dioxide emitted throughout the life of a device, it primarily occurs during the manufacturing process, before the consumer purchases the product. This makes lower-carbon processes and inputs at the production stage (such as using recycled raw materials) and the product life cycle the key factors determining total environmental impact. can.

2.2. Lack of recycling [1]

Global recycling rates are low. The lack of recycling weighs heavily on the global electronics industry and as devices become more numerous, smaller and more complex, the problem escalates. Currently, recycling some types of electronic waste and recovering materials and metals is an expensive process. The remaining volume of e-waste – mostly plastic containing metals and chemicals – poses a more difficult problem to solve.

3. Methods of recycling electronic waste [2]

• Delay the upgrade of electronics as long as possible
• Find reuse opportunities: repair or resell to organizations that will multiply them and recover value from the old item
• Try returning the item to the manufacturer
• Take them to a specialized e-waste recycling facility

References