E-Waste
Technology
is evolving rapidly. Today, it is hard to keep up with the pace of cell phone
releases. For instance, a smartphone that used to be a ‘hot product’ in the
market last year depreciates in value quicker than its hardware components.
There is a stiff competition in Silicon Valley ,
not to mention emerging technology market in the industrializing world like
china. As a result, more low-quality cell-phones find their way to the
market. In the end, users of such
product are unable to dispose old cell phones properly. In the past five years alone, I have owned
more than 4 cell phones. Each of them lasted for about a year and a half before
I could dump them for a new and more sophisticated gadget. One of the main
reasons prompted a replace is the phone’s storage capacity. In addition, I
required a cell phone that can support multiple functionalities such as e-Book
and internet service. Processing speed is also a fundamental consideration when
replacing cell phones. Currently, I
still own three of my old phones, though I do not use regularly.
Cell
Phone E-Waste
New
York Times statistics indicates that every two years, an
average American replace his/her phone. As such, there is a junk of more than
150 million discarded phones. A significant proportion of old cell phone junk
ends up in the developing world such as China ,
Ghana , and India India and Bangladesh
On
the other hand, Indian women living in underdeveloped regions spend a
significant part of the day cooking circuit boards for silver and gold
extracts. Most of them are sickened due to inhalation of toxic smoke. In fact,
the amount spent on medical bills is much higher than few dollars they earn
from selling the extracts. There are no laws or regulations for the e-waste and
recycle sector. As such, most business people exploit young children from
impoverished regions. Besides, there are no health inspection professionals to
monitor the activities. Studies by WHO
indicate that an exposure to cadmium, lead and mercury results damage of
nervous system. Even worse, if pregnant mothers are exposed, there is a risk of
child underdevelopment.
Home
E-Waste
As
people purchase technology more frequently, discarding of unwanted e-waste is
imminent. Some e-waste materials in my
house include a printer, an old Central Processing Unit (CPU), a broken TV set,
an idle CRT and a fax
machine. It is not easy for me to part
with some of my technological products because of their history. Though these
e-waste products are no more productive, I consider them valuable thus should
form part of my collection. I am not alone: many people today are faced with a
dilemma of discarding their technology gadgets or maintaining them as
monumental objects.
Notably
10%
of e-waste is recyclable. On the other hand, more than half
of general waste is reusable. However,
experts warn that e-waste is only effectively manageable through avoidance.
Management of e-waste is achievable through a selection of right technological
products. It is well-known that traces of mercury, lead, and other harmful
substances are present in most electronic products. If such components are not recycled
or disposed properly, there is an environmental contamination risk.
When
e-waste is recycled, hazardous waste is controlled from spreading in a
landfill. Additionally, the saved resources can be used in the manufacturing of
similar but new products. Tin, zinc copper and nickel found in e-waste are
renewable but can hardly be utilized again if thrown to a landfill.
Smart
Phones, for instance, are rich in lead and arsenic. If it is thrown to a
landfill, the hazardous chemicals can easily seep into aquifers. Eventually,
the toxic materials will contaminate soil used to plant food chain crops. An
alarming rise in cases of untreatable diseases is linkable to poor e-waste
management and a lack of regulatory policies.
Hazardous
Components of E-Waste
Electronic
and electrical equipment contain a variety of hazardous materials that are
harmful to the environment and human health, especially when the necessary
procedures are not adhered to during their disposal. Most substances that occur
naturally are harmless, but their use in electronic equipment manufacturing
process compounds them to hazardous constituents.
Arsenic
is one of the most poisonous metallic elements. It is soluble and can be found
in a form of dust particles. If an individual is exposed to arsenic for a
prolonged period of time, he/she is more likely to experience a nervous
breakdown. Arsenic is also one of the major causes of lung cancer. On the other
hand, barium is a highly unstable metallic element emitting poisonous oxides
when exposed to the air. Victims exposed to barium experience brain swells,
liver and heart damage. Mercury has
multiple uses but also, it is highly hazardous. Others include lead, dioxins,
selenium and Polyvinyl chloride.
There
is no guarantee that recycling e-waste prevents health problems. For instance,
workers in a recycling facility are still exposed to health risks through
emission of toxic fumes as the products are reshaped for use. However, reusing
discarded electronic products diminishes chances of health issues.
E-Waste
Regulations
According
to e-cycle,
18 US Colorado , Virginia and Ohio
California’s
Health and Safety code demands a fulfillment of health
requirements and precautions by the manufacturers and users of electronic
products. Culprits that breach the
regulations face more than 5-year jail term without parole and a decent fine.
E-Waste
Articles
The
article explores the environmental and health hazards in the developing world
as the developed states dump electronic waste.
The US , UK , and other western states transport old
electronic products for use in Africa, India ,
and China Asia is beneficial, studies paint a contrasting picture
(Sthiannopkao & Wong, 2013). In Ghana
E-waste
trends worldwide as one of the major pollutant. Toxic electronic waste is a
threat to human life and the environment. The article examines the toxic
materials found in e-waste and their impact to the environment. Besides, the authors provide an in-depth
analysis of management strategies employed in different nations. Tools used for
e-waste management, especially in the developed world are sufficiently outlined
in the article. They include Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR ). Safety is a key factor to be considered in
the design of tools. Therefore, the devices should collect e-waste, recycle and
recover materials safely. Moreover, government regulations that forbid the
transfer of e-waste from the industrialized countries to the developing world
should be complied. In the article, there is a revelation of ways that the
e-waste management tools can be used complementarily for an effective solution.
The
author explains the meaning of e-waste in relation to a range of discarded electronics
including TVs, mobile phones, and washing machines. He expounds on how people
mistake trash for electronic appliances, whereas in the real sense, it is
possible to transform a significant fraction of e-waste for good use. He quotes a UN report indicating that more
than 42 million tons of e-waste was recorded globally. Out of these, only a
sixth was recycled. The information is startling considering the fate of
non-recycled e-waste. He admits that
even though people pile up e-waste at an unprecedented rate, many are unaware
of its devastating effects. Some of the
health issues related to e-waste include cancers, kidney damage, and
neurological diseases. Notably, it is legal to ship e-waste to the developing states.
However, the US
A
joint Effort to recycle e-Waste
Electronic
equipment has revolutionized human life since early 1990s. The rise of technological innovation implies
that technological devices have a shortened lifespan. Resultantly, e-waste
accumulation grows over time. The United Nations University (UNU) predicts that
by 2017, 48 million tons of E-waste will be produced. E-waste challenges are compounded by a lack
of national strategy to combat its influx to the developing states. Besides, most e-waste management activities
are entrusted to informal business sectors hence making it harder to track the
collection procedures.
If
the developing countries cooperate with the United
States , Germany
Global
institutions are conducting trials aimed at comparing economic performance and
environmental effects of Bo2W (Best of 2 Words) e-waste processing model
introduced by UNU.
Pilot projects have been conducted in India
and China
References
Sthiannopkao, S., & Wong ,
M. H.
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