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According to the International Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum, out of the 16 billion phones used worldwide in 2022, around 5.3 billion have probably been thrown away or turned into e-waste before the end of the year.
Where do all these phones end up? Where do all electronic devices that have served their purpose go?
The most common answer is landfilled. The concerning part is that most of them are in perfectly fine condition and are thrown away just because they aren’t hip anymore. The issue here isn’t just wastage; these landfilled electronic devices contain numerous types of metals that become part of the soil as time passes and contaminate not just land, but water and air as well. In this post, we had a look at this and a lot more concerning electronic waste. Let’s get started!
What is E-waste?
E-waste or electronic waste is an informal term used to define electronic products that are thought to be at the end of their ‘useful life’.
Common examples of such electronic products include computers, televisions, photocopiers, fax machines, etc. Generally, the majority of these products are reusable, refurbishable, or recyclable.
Where Does E-Waste Come From?
E-waste isn’t just devices that have stopped working or broken down completely; it can also refer to devices that have been replaced yet function completely fine.
The 21st Century so far has been full of rapid technological advancements. With these advancements, many devices that still work fine have become obsolete simply because the market is now full of alternatives that are far more efficient at doing the same task.
Let’s take VCRs, DVDs, and Blu-ray players as an example. After DVD players replaced VCRs in 1997, it didn’t take long for the next big thing, Blu-ray players, to pop up and make DVDs obsolete. And now, in 2022, streaming services have long since dethroned Blu-ray players for good.
The question is, what happens to the previous technology when the next big thing pops up? There is no way all VCRs, DVDs, or Blu-ray players became faulty.
Scratch that; an even better example would be smartphones. Newer models of the same smartphone are available within months of the previous release. Despite that, the more recent version almost always has a unique feature or concept that hooks the masses.
For instance, in 2014, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (or the EPA for short) released that around 416,000 phones were thrown away daily in the United States alone. This metric added up to a staggering amount of 151 million phones thrown away yearly!
While the exact concept of e-waste is vague, the idea above explains a considerable part. Technological advancements of the 21st Century are designed to make human life more manageable. However, the general population has gotten too comfortable with disposing of their previous appliances as soon as a newer version pops in.
Why Recycle E-Waste?
Why should e-waste be recycled, and why should you care about it?
For years now, e-waste has been disposed of improperly. They have occupied landfills and caused irrecoverable damage to their surroundings.
As of 2022, more than 50 million metric tons of e-waste is produced globally every year. For a better picture, the amount is equivalent to getting rid of 800 laptops every second.
In the United States, e-waste only equates to around 2% of the overall landfill trash in the country. However, this 2% alone makes up for about 70% of the toxic waste produced by the country!
The sad part is more than 85% of the e-waste produced ends up in landfills or incinerators. When burned, this waste produces harmful chemicals that mix with the air. Let’s look deeper into what makes e-waste dangerous if disposed of uncarefully.
1. E-Waste Is Toxic
Don’t worry! Electronics aren’t harmful to be around as long as they’re above ground. The problem is that the toxic substances used to power these devices can leak into the surrounding soil. Almost all electronics contain poisonous substances to some extent, from lead to mercury, beryllium, and cadmium. These materials dissolve in microscopic traces and can eventually infect the surrounding sludge and the land below.
The land infected by e-waste becomes entirely useless. Infected land is unable to be used for agriculture and can become extremely dry over time. Such dryness also encourages fires.
2. Water Contamination
E-waste and the associated powering devices end up contaminating the groundwater along with all the other nearby sources of freshwater.
There are multiple reasons why this can have disastrous effects. For one, the surrounding wildlife is sure to get affected. Wildlife that drinks from such contaminated sources can get different types of metal poisoning. With the water and land infected, entire habitats shift in search of a new area to survive.
Furthermore, the high concentration of arsenic, cadmium, and lead can poison humans if consumed before treatments. Some effects of e-waste on human health include heart, brain, kidney, and liver damage, along with skeletal injuries.
3. Not Recycling Encourages Mining
The development of new technology and its implementation on a global scale has accelerated the rate of mining across the world. Precious metals such as palladium, gold, silver, and copper are commonly used in electronic devices.
If such materials aren’t recycled, naturally, they’d be dug out directly from the Earth through mining, which on a large scale can upset the entire ecosystem of an area. It destroys habitats and causes deforestation and soil erosion. Not only that, but mining also contaminates the soil and makes it unfit for agriculture.
This contamination also extends to local streams, which are dumped with waste. Mining also leads to an increase in carbon emissions, dust, and noise levels in the area.
Of course, some of the more developed countries have taken steps to regulate mining to a more sustainable level. However, these actions have only been taken at the governmental level, and private labels have been known to shift their entire operations to developing countries where, unfortunately, no semblance of order or sustainability laws exist.
A good way to discourage such steps would be to have an environmentally friendly source for such materials, which is only available in the form of recycling the present e-waste. Although it wouldn’t be able to replace mining entirely due to the increasing population, it’d still take a large part of the burden off!
4. Inhaling Toxic Fumes
E-waste that doesn’t end up in landfills goes straight into the incinerator. From there, these fumes mix into the air and can be dangerous if inhaled in large quantities. Whenever e-waste is burnt, fine particulate matter is produced, which is known to cause cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
That said, direct contact with toxic e-waste can also pose serious health risks. For instance, in children, exposure to e-waste over a long period can cause impaired thyroid and lung function, DNA damage, and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer.
Recycling, on the other hand, helps to avoid such scenarios.
5. Contaminated food
A contaminated water supply will naturally result in contaminated food. If local crops are supported by water from a contaminated source, the food will be heavily polluted with metals and may cause poisoning upon consumption.
6. Valuable Materials Can Be Reclaimed
Most electronic devices are entirely recyclable. Electronic devices are a mixture of valuable metals such as silver, gold, and platinum, along with other materials such as aluminum, copper, and even plastic and glass.
Since most e-waste is nearly 100% recyclable, these materials can be reclaimed easily. As per the EPA, for every millionth cell phone recycled, around
- 75 pounds (34 kg) of gold
- 772 pounds (350.2 kg) of silver
- 33 pounds (15 kg) of palladium
- 35,000 pounds (15875.733 kg) of copper
Is recovered. Furthermore, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries states that the e-waste recycling industry provides a $20.6 billion (which includes $1.45 billion in exports) boost to the United States economy. Furthermore, the industry also employs more than 45,000 individuals!
What Does “E-Waste” Actually Refer To?
The actual meaning of e-waste is vague. This is because each year, the list of items termed “e-waste” only gets longer and longer. Generally speaking, e-waste refers to electronic items (both business and consumer-based) that are no longer in service but have hazardous materials that can surface in landfills.
The 21st Century so far has been full of innovations. With each creation, some form of previous technology becomes completely obsolete. Said technology then becomes a part of what we know as “e-waste”.
What Are Some Common E-Waste Items?
Some common examples of e-waste include:
- Electronics like television sets, mobile phones, keyboards, cables, mice, scanners, printers, video/digital cameras, VCRs, DVDs, Blu-ray players, answering machines, flashlights, clocks, cables, and calculators.
- Laboratory Equipment such as calorimeters, microscopes, and hot plates.
- Kitchen equipment such as microwave ovens, toasters, coffee makers, etc.
- Broken monitors or parts such as television tubes (Cathode Ray Tubes).
And the list goes on!
How Should E-Waste Be Properly Disposed of?
You can’t stop the world from trying out newer technology. Not for the near future, at the very least! What you can do, however, is teach them the importance of recycling their previous electronics.
Older gadgets should never be thrown out! They should be recycled instead. Recycling is not only hassle-free but also has several benefits for the environment.
All you have to do is gather all the electronics you do not need, just like you gather your garbage. Instead of throwing them in the bin, you can turn them over to an organization specializing in e-waste management.
For instance, while the United States does not have any federal laws governing e-waste and its disposal, there have been many actions taken at the state level. The District of Columbia, along with 25 other states, has established a statewide e-waste recycling program and encourages its residents to participate.
Examples of other such programs include California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, Hawaii’s electronic Device and Television Recycling law of 2008, and many more. Each of these recycling programs extends to 25 different states, with each covering different types of electronics.
Regardless of what you choose, your electronic devices can either be picked up at your home or from a collection point nearby.
What Are Some Organizations That Deal with E-Waste Management?
Some examples of the top companies in e-waste management include:
- Boliden (based in Switzerland)
- Aurubis (based in Germany)
- Sims Metal Management Limited (based in the United States)
- Umicore (based in Belgium)
- Tetronics (International) Limited (based in the United Kingdom)
What International Efforts Have Been Taken to Manage E-Waste Properly?
Electronic waste has plagued the world for quite some time, but it wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th Century that measures were taken for proper disposal. In the mid-70s, the need for appropriate dumping of e-waste was highlighted on a larger scale.
This increasing awareness, coupled with a series of occurrences that included the Khian Sea Incident in 1986, prompted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976 and the Basel Convention in March 1989.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in the United States (issued by Congress) was the first to take proper note of hazardous waste and its improper management until that point.
The Basel Convention in 1989 set the international standard for e-waste disposal and prompted the development of an entirely new industry worldwide. Since then, the e-waste recycling industry has grown exponentially and is still growing as the amount of e-waste continues to pile up.
For instance, in 1991, an entire electronic waste system was set up in Switzerland to collect refrigerators. The plan would then expand to include other electronic devices over the years.
Similarly, the European Union introduced the WEEE (International Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), which contained proper e-waste recycling requirements for its member nations.
The sad part, however, is that despite all of the international efforts, only 17.4% of the total electronic waste produced worldwide is collected and recycled yearly.
What Can You Do to Reduce the E-waste Threat?
When it comes to dealing with e-waste, every individual counts! We’ve already established that e-waste should be recycled and never thrown away. However, there are multiple ways to recycle and some necessary precautions. Let’s take a look at each of these respectively.
1. Donating to a Local Charity
Instead of just throwing away your electronics, how’d you like it if others benefit from them? You can search for a local charity to donate all your unwanted electronics. Such charities are centered around refurbishing and making old devices usable again.
2. Buy Used Electronics Instead of Opting for New Ones
You can make an impact by opting for used devices instead of new ones when the opportunity arises. In this way, you help to prevent companies from manufacturing additional units to match increasing sales.
3. Support the E-Waste Management Industry
Most countries, including the United States, have no federal laws governing e-waste and its proper disposal. We’ll take a look at what consequences this has later. By supporting the e-waste management industry, you can help make a change and contribute to passing legislation in your respective states.
4. Precautions To Take While Recycling
Recycling is, for the most part, a hassle-free process, however, you must take a few precautions. The e-waste recycling process largely relies on recovering precious metals from unwanted devices.
The biggest problem is that most developed countries (especially the United States) outsource this recovery to nations that are still developing within Africa and Asia. Most of them, unfortunately, don’t have proper structures, regulations, or recycling practices.
Let’s take China, for example. Until 2018, China accepted more than half of the world’s recyclable waste for recovery purposes.
This waste was transported to regions like Guiyu (considered the electronic waste capital of the world), where they were heated and exposed to a mixture of cyanide and nitric acid to recover all the precious metals.
Now, with no regulations and proper practice, the toxins from such smelting have densely contaminated the air within such regions. The result? Children there suffer from an extremely spiked rate of lead (and other toxic metals) poisoning.
Since 2018, shipments of e-waste have been banned from entering China. As a result, the developed nations have begun to send their electronic waste to Southeast Asian countries instead.
These countries, like Thailand, Vietnam, etc., are similarly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of e-waste deposited yearly.
The best you can do to make a change individually is to check the policy of whichever recycler you choose for your e-waste. Recyclers with a clear-cut export policy and an R2:2013 certification by SERI (Sustainable Electronic Recycling International) are trustworthy.
A Deeper Look into The E-Waste Menace
Helping the environment isn’t the only benefit of dealing with e-waste sustainably. Recycling your electronic waste is an excellent way to prevent any breach of personal information.
Everyone has heard of shredding critical documents like serial numbers or identification before throwing them out. Giving out or throwing away your devices should be dealt with similarly.
Unfortunately, people don’t realize this fact. In recent times, your laptop or smartphone stores every type of data you can imagine about yourself.
When you throw such devices away, you’re putting the data and, ultimately, yourself at considerable risk. All anyone has to do is plug their hard drive into a new computer to access all stored information.
From there, they can do whatever they want with that information, be it signing a new credit card or using it for other nefarious purposes.
Of course, there are multiple ways to deal with your electronic waste. However, most of them have numerous loopholes and can quickly be taken advantage of. The surest method is to destroy or at least dismantle your devices before disposing of them.
Even this, however, should never be done personally, as modern-day laptops and smartphones have volatile batteries that end up exploding if prodded carelessly.
The best option would be to hand your devices over to a professional to get the job done safely.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that electronic waste is terrible for the Earth. While the global community has tried to quell the negative impact of e-waste, much more must be done.
Currently, only 17.4% of the yearly e-waste produced is recycled globally. This means that a whopping 82.6% of the e-waste makes its way to landfills and incinerators, which then becomes a menace to deal with.
The actual threat of e-waste is much more significant than what we have perceived it to be. Electronic waste makes up less than 2% of the total landfill waste in the United States. However, even this 2% is potent enough to account for 70% of its total toxic waste production.
In the 21st Century, innovations have become commonplace. Newer versions of the same device are rolling in every month, and daily, more devices are becoming obsolete.
In such a scenario, making people realize the importance of recycling electronic waste is vital and much needed for a better tomorrow!
To learn more about how to lead a sustainable life, head over to our ‘15 Sustainable Living Ideas to Incorporate in Daily Life‘.
