(April 2013) Roughly 40 million metric tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are

produced globally each year, and about 13 percent of that weight is recycled
mostly in developing countries. About 9 million tons of this wastediscarded
televisions, computers, cellphones, and other electronicsare produced by
the European Union, according to the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP). And UNEP notes that this estimate of waste is likely too
low.1
Informal recycling markets in China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the
Philippines handle anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent of this e-waste,
often shredding, burning, and dismantling the products in "backyards."
Emissions from these recycling practices are damaging human health and the
environment.2
Developing countries with rapidly growing economies handle e-waste from
developed countries, and from their own internal consumers. Currently, an
estimated 70 percent of e-waste handled in India is from other nations, but the
UNEP estimates that between 2007 and 2020, domestic television e-waste will
double, computer e-waste will increase five times, and cell phones 18 times.
The informal sector's recycling practices magnify health risks. For example,
primary and secondary exposure to toxic metals, such as lead, results mainly
from open-air burning used to retrieve valuable components such as gold.
Combustion from burning e-waste creates fine particulate matter, which is
linked to pulmonary and cardiovascular disease.
While the health implications of e-waste are difficult to isolate due to the
informal working conditions, poverty, and poor sanitation, several studies in
Guiyu, a city in southeastern China, offer insight. Guiyu is known as the
largest e-waste recycling site in the world, and the city's residents exhibit
substantial digestive, neurological, respiratory, and bone problems. For
example, 80 percent of Guiyu's children experience respiratory ailments, and
are especially at risk of lead poisoning. 3

Residents of Guiyu are not the only ones at risk. Researchers such as Brett
Robinson, a professor of soil and physical sciences at Lincoln University in
New Zealand, warn that wind patterns in Southeast China disperse toxic
particles released by open-air burning across the Pearl River Delta Region,
home to 45 million people. 4 In this way, toxic chemicals from e-waste enter the
"soil-crop-food pathway," one of the most significant routes for heavy metals'
exposure to humans. These chemicals are not biodegradablethey persist in
the environment for long periods of time, increasing exposure risk.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of

Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal bans the exchange of hazardous
waste, including e-waste, between developed and developing countries. The
United States is the largest generator of e-waste worldwide and the only
industrialized nation not yet ratifying the Basel Convention.
E-waste is an important global environmental and health issue. Promising
policy responses have arisen from the European Union, which is defining the
source as responsible for e-waste. With this approach, manufacturers are
required to eliminate dangerous toxins from production.

Photo by TotalAldo via Flickr CC

E-waste is a serious environmental problem, from toxic chemicals and

heavy metals leaching into soils in landfills, to the pollution to air and water
supplies caused through improper recycling techniques in developing
countries. While we know e-waste is harmful to human health, particularly
to those working directly with it in e-waste dumps, new research sheds light
on exactly how it impacts us. Science Daily brings our attention to a new
study published in Environmental Research Letters that took air
samples from from Taizhou of Zhejiang province in China -- one of the
largest dismantling areas in the country that uses 60,000 people to
dismantle over two million tons of e-waste annually -- and explored how the
chemicals found in that air affects human lungs.
The researchers found that e-waste pollution in the air, that workers in
these e-waste dumps breath in constantly, cause inflammation and stress
that lead to heart disease, DNA damage and possibly even cancer.
After exposing the cultured lung cells to the organic-soluble and
water-soluble constituents of the samples, the researchers tested
for the level of Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a key mediator of inflammatory
response, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), chemically
reactive molecules that can cause extensive damage in excess.
The samples were also tested for the expression of the p53 gene
-- a tumour suppressor gene that produces a protein to help
counteract cell damage. If there is evidence of this gene being
expressed it can be seen as a marker that cell damage is taking
place.

The results showed that the samples of pollutants caused

significant increases in both IL-8 and ROS levels -- indicators of an
inflammatory response and oxidative stress respectively.
Significant increases were also observed in the levels of the p53
protein with the risk of organic-soluble pollutants being much
higher than water-soluble pollutants.
We are well aware of the fact that e-waste dumps are a massive problem
for the environment, for the people working within them, and for the people
living nearby these dumps. By instituting regulations for how e-waste is
handled in the recycling stream, many of these health issues could be
mitigated. Yet the possibility of better recycling practices is slim. A report
last year showed that India will see a 500% increase in e-waste being
imported for processing, and China and South Africa will see a 400%
increase from 2007 levels over the next 10 years.
The Times of India reports that India will require all computers and
electronics to be disposed of in collection centers by 2012. While that helps
with keeping e-waste out of landfills, it doesn't necessarily help with how
the gadgets are processed.
While some countries and companies have instituted bans on exporting ewaste to dumps, rather than to approved recycling facilities, there are
loopholes that make it easy to send items to these dumps for cheap
processing -- and some recyclers flat out lie about where they're
sending the electronics they collect. For the people who work there, there is
often little alternative for generating an income.

The issue can seem overwhelming, but perhaps by knowing exactly what
health problems e-waste dumps cause among those living in and near
them, activist groups and governments might get more involved in
regulating how electronics are processed at end of life.
In my previous hub, I wrote about the electronic waste or E-waste. As I have mentioned,
it is one of the fastest growing solid material in the world and it will continue to grow as
the technology become more advance. Not only does it left a big threat to our
environment, but it is also very dangerous to our human health if there is no careful
control. Currently, US and EU are the biggest E-waste producer in the world, and believe
it or not, according to report by Basel Action Network, 80% of their waste is shipped to
developing countries such as China, India, Pakistan and Ghana. These nations are
facing many environmental and health problems in the area of where the e-waste are
being dumped. Thus, in this article I will discuss about the air pollution, water
contamination and human health problems that are affected by the E-waste in China.
Firstly, let talk about the air pollution that cause by the E-waste. E-waste not only contain
many toxic substances, but it also contains some partial amount of valuable material
such as gold, silver and copper. Thus, the people around E-waste dumped area trying to
extract those precious metals by using primitive methods without considering the effect
that could cause to their environment. For instance, investigators of Greenpeace who
visited a recycling place in Guiyu, China saw men, women and children pulling wire from
computers and burning them to extract the copper, fouling the air with poisonous smoke.
Components that cannot be recycled are being incinerated which result in releasing
heavy metals and toxic substances to the air such as lead, mercury, cadmium and
brominated flame retardants. Thus the air quality in the area is polluted heavily.
Beside the bad air quality, the water in those region are being contaminated as well.
Workers often use acid bath to dissolve the lead and other metals contained in the
electronics in order to extract the gold and silver. Other reaming part is wash directly into
the nearby rivers and other water bodies. Worthless part of the electronics are disposed
to landfill and at some period of time, the toxin will each into ground water or nearby
water bodies. For instance, lead can leach from landfills into drinking water supplies.
According to a research done by Basel Action Network in Linjaing river, Guiyu shows
that, the content of lead in water is between 1.9-24mg/L. It is much higher than the WHO
guideline that is only 0.01mg/L. As a result, the drinking water in Guiyu has been
imported from nearby town since the appearance of the electronic waste industry.

Not only air and water are being affected, our human health also suffer from it as well.
The people in that area could face many disease especially for the one who expose
directly with the E-waste. Skin disease, lung cancer, brain damage, kidney disease and
abortion are some of the disease that they could face. According to a group of scientist
studied about the effect of E-waste in those area have discovered that, in Guiyu which is
the biggest E-waste recycling center in China, has the highest level of cancer causing
dioxin and abortion rate in the world. Not only adults that are affected, the children in that
area are also suffer as well. For instance, Shantou Medical College has conducted a
research in Guiyu. In this research, the blood of 165 children were taken to measure the
Blood Lead Levels. As a result, about 82% of them have the BLLS greater than 10
g/dL. This lead Levels in blood can result in lowered intelligence, reading and learning
disabilities, impaired hearing, reduce attention span, hyperactivities and antisocial
behavior.
As you have seen in the discussion above, e-waste left a really big thread to the
environment and human health. Many people around the E-waste dumped site are
affected heavily. Thus, there should be a solid policy to deal with it as soon as possible
such as there should be a strict regulation to e-waste industries as well as there should
be a training program about the health on self-protection from the hazardous of E-waste.

Re-use an alternative to E-waste ?

Worldwide e-waste is a huge, and growing problem. In the US alone, over 112 000 laptop and
desktop computers are discarded every day! That adds up to about 41 million every year, while the
estimated amount of yearly E-waste worldwide is between 30-40 million tons. What many IT-using
companies and organizations dont realize is that there is a strong second hand market for IT
equipment they no longer need. The life cycle of a computer can be extended by several years if
companies and organizations were to take advantage of the re-use opportunities available to them,,
comments Jonas Carlsson, President of Inrego, which specializes in the refurbishment of IT products.
Other experts point to the practical challenges of computer re-use and increased E-waste, including
data security measures and other company rules that make re-purposing or donating IT products
more difficult. Unfortunately, another challenge is the human factor, says Jolanda can Rooijen,
former manager of IT and Corporate Social Responsibility at a world leading IT company, now a
researcher in Industrial Technology at Uppsala University. A lot of people simply arent interested in
an older product, even if its fully functional. Besides, the IT vendors encourage companies to replace
their equipment every three years or so

The manufacturing of these devices and the use of rare materials that go into
their production represent a huge source of embodied energy. Minimizing e-

waste helps to conserve resources and reduces the amount of energy we take
from the earth.
Reusing the precious metals and plastics in old cell phones alone instead of
making or mining more of them would save as much energy as flipping off the
power to 24,000 US homes for an entire year. The typical American household
has 24 electronic devices and in 2009 the EPA estimated that there are 2.37
million tons worth of electronics ready to be disposed of. This would fill almost
five football stadiums!

Re-evaluate. Do you really need that extra gadget? Try finding one device
with multiple functions.

Extend the life of your electronics. Buy a case, keep your device clean,
and avoid overcharging the battery.

Buy environmentally friendly electronics. Look for products labeled

Energy Star or certified by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
(EPEAT).

Donate used electronics to social programsand help victims of

domestic violence, children safety initiatives, environmental causes, and more.
Ask your student REP for a postage paid mailer for your cell phone or ink
cartridge. For each item received, the World Wildlife Fund will receive one dollar.
Humans are fast-paced creatures, always wanting and needing whatever
they desire as quickly and efficiently as possible. This has been the way
our society has existed since our inception; I want what I want, and I want
it now. Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, was on to something when
he penned the song "When the Music's Over" off the Strange
Days album: "We want the world, and we want it now."
This attitude our society possesses has created multibillion-dollar
individuals and corporations, has seen humans achieve the unachievable
in regards to wealth and prosperity, and ultimately has created the desire
for the human race to always have the newest technologies, regardless of
the carbon footprint each individual leaves on our ecosystem. This is
nothing new; the human race has been driven by greed and selfishness
since the beginning. Your neighbors, your friends, your family all have the
same wants and desires as the next person: success, money, security and
to live a happy life. But as a whole unit, society has slowly started to
decide the real, true purpose in life is not success, not money, not security,
but environmental sustainability.

Every decision each human makes in regard to our environment and

ecosystem has a cause and effect. Smashing your old desktop computer
into little pieces and placing it in the trash might have been a normal action
in the past, but through science and investigation, we now know the
ramifications these kinds of actions have on our ecosystem and the impact
it has on the future of our environment. In this article, I will highlight the
importance of proper e-waste disposal, the effects proper e-waste disposal
has on our environment, and why environmental sustainability is essential
to our survival.
Here's How You Can Help
E-waste recycling has become one of the fastest-moving industries in the
world. Our society has, for the most part, always been aware that certain
convenient technologies we use every day also contain some of the most
harmful known substances.
Cell phones, computers, laptops, CRTs, flat screen TVs, tablets, printers,
and monitors have all assisted our society in advancing our wants and
needs. As we all know, technology moves faster than the speed of light,
and by the time we have the newest gadgets, we are already in the
process of wanting something bigger and better. As convenient as these
technologies are, let's not forget that most of these gadgets contain
harmful substances and should be properly recycled, refurbished, or
reused.
When these products are placed into landfills, either on purpose or not, we
have a huge problem. Recycling electronics prevents the biggest and most
prevalent pollutants in our society, which come from mining. Chemicals
such as cyanide and sulfuric acid are commonly used in the mining
process. When these substances spill, leak, or leach into the ground or
water, the ecosystem is heavily affected. Once the chemicals are
introduced to our landscape, the cycle of pollution is put into place.
Through such common environmental occurrences as erosion and heavy
rain, the pollutant chemicals end up in our oceans, streams, and lakes, and
eventually in our drinking water.
How can you help? The answer is simple: Don't be lazy and think your
actions do not count. A local, state, or federal recycling program is surely
closer than you think. Call your local county waste management
department and find out how you can properly recycle your e-waste. Take
five minutes and do some online research about how you can properly
dispose of these electronics.
If you think your e-waste recycling habits don't affect you, you're wrong. Do
the right thing and find out your specific location for local, state, or federal
e-waste disposal centers. Don't be afraid to ask your recycler's people
about their specific certifications, where their e-waste ends up, and if they
landfill or not. These small questions are the future of maintaining a clean,
sound ecosystem.

 Environmental sustainability and proper e-waste recycling practices go

hand in hand. Without proper recycling practices in place, our ecosystem
and environment are heavily impacted. Sustainability is a common term,
but when applied to the environment, it can appear to have an eerie,
almost frightening effect. To sustain is to maintain or keep up. We have
only one Earth, one environment, and one ecological system; the thought
of not "keeping up or maintaining" could lead our society into an even more
dire straits situation than we currently are in.
Environmental sustainability is a key component to the ecological cycle
that keeps our Earth intact. Do you remember learning about the food
chain back in elementary school? Every species has a specific purpose for
the planet. Large or small, they matter. Even though our society has tried
to play catch-up with the ecological cycle, our past actions already may
have caused devastating consequences for the human race and wildlife. In
comparison to individual recycling practices, billion-dollar corporations,
some of whom make major decisions for our ecosystem and have large
political influence, are charged for polluting our water systems and land.
Most get a fine and/or possible incarceration. These decisions are based
on what I spoke about earlier: greed and laziness.
Do your own, personal part in making proper decisions about recycling ewaste. Hold corporations and businesses responsible for their
irresponsible e-waste recycling practices. Don't be afraid to call someone
out or voice your opinion about how important our planet is and what it
means to you. Knowing and understanding that each individual is
personally responsible for the future of our environmental sustainability is
possibly the most important detail for our survival.
In conclusion, if each individual does not do his or her due diligence in
properly recycling e-waste and any other recyclable item, the future and
our environment will be at risk. We might not experience this in our lifetime,
but to certain individuals, it's already here.
It is time for everyone in our beautiful world to step up and take
responsibility for their actions. Be a leader and not a follower. Take the time
to properly dispose of your electronics, and make the phone calls that give
you the needed information on how to follow ethical practices. The majority
of e-waste recyclers hold the necessary certifications needed to properly
dispose of electronics, so do your research and find one that works best
for you. Make yourself a part of this important e-waste recycling community
and do the right thing. because these small steps can make or break our
environment.