According to the united nations, 2050 million metric tons of electronic waste is discarded globally every year. Electronic pollution is the form of pollution caused by the discarded electrical or electronic devices. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled. Assessment of air pollution caused by illegal ewaste. The rapid expansion of technology and the consumption driven society results in the creation of a very large amount of ewaste in every minute the european weee directive classifies waste in ten categories. Therefore, despite significant recycling, e waste is liable for 5000 t cu an. This book give a comprehensive overview on e waste sources and entry routes in soil, air, water and sediment. Ewaste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not. Apr 25, 2019 electronic waste e waste is used for all electronic electrical devices which are no more used. Assessment of air pollution caused by illegal ewaste burning. E waste in short is a generic term embracing various forms of electric and electronic equipment that have ceased to be of any value to their owners.
Control, noise pollution, water pollution control and waste disposal. With the passage of the electronic waste recycling act of 2003, certain portions of. For example, some e waste traffickers burn open computer wires in order to get to the copper inside a valuable commodity. Electronic waste, or e waste, includes any tool, equipment or appliance containing a printed circuit board or a cathode ray tube crt. Electronic waste an emerging threat to the environment. The ewaste contributing to a large percentage of the toxicity in ghanaian landfills appears to be the tip of the.
The new laws will ensure that new products brought to the eu market are repairable, recyclable and designed to last longer than our current phones and tablets, according to reuters. Electronic waste is recycled in appalling conditions in india. Recycling ewaste enables us to recover various valuable metals and other materials from electronics, saving natural resources energy, reducing pollution, conserving landfill space, and creating jobs. Environmental pollution of electronic waste recycling in. Guiyu, china is where the united states transports a major amount of its e waste. Moreover, the current and the future production of e waste, the potential environmental problems associated with their disposal and management practices are discussed whereas the existing e waste management schemes in greece and other countries japan, switzerland are also quoted. In this guide, we summarise what waste pollution is, identify the different types of waste, and outline the. Japan is a small, island nation, but its efforts in electronic waste recycling are attracting international. E waste or electronic waste is a major waste stream resulting from the boom in consumer. After the electronic waste is transported over to china, the electronics are dumped in the town where it litters the streets and poisons the. With new cheap devices, society has reaped tremendous benefits. Electronic industry pollutants ewaste chemical characteristics and their potential risks introduction in todays throwaway society, the desire, for devices with faster and newer stateofthe art technology is leading to.
The eu wants to get rid of planned obsolescence, where manufacturers design a product with a short lifespan. Electronic devices are essential to business operations. Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal are also considered e waste. There are presently no standard approaches for handling, dismantling, and the processing of e waste. E waste has become a rapidly emergent pollution problem worldwide due to the production, commercialization, and utilization of electrical and electronic appliances, which have exponentially. Conventionally, waste management policies are desfig handle the traditional waste. Epa works bilaterally with governments and environmental officials around the world on ewaste management. Developed countries tend to generate a larger share of ewaste, with china being one of the largest producers. Highly complex e waste can contain metals, polymers and ceramics along with several hazardous and toxic constituents. Electronic waste, also called ewaste, various forms of electric and electronic equipment that have ceased to be of value to their users or no longer satisfy their original purpose. Guidance for generators, collectors, and recyclers what is.
Soil pollution, solid waste, hazardous waste, electronic. Mt of industrial hazardous waste, 4 lakh tonnes of electronic waste. Electronic waste ewaste products have exhausted their utility value through either redundancy, replacement, or breakage and include both white goods such as refrigerators, washing machines, and. Ewaste in short is a generic term embracing various forms of electric and electronic equipment that have ceased to be of any value to their owners. According to comptroller and auditorgeneralscag report, over 7. As eee industries are one of the fastest growing streams, they are also an emerging problem because they generate larger volumes of ewaste electronic waste. Electronic waste, ewaste, escrap, or waste electrical and electronic equipment weee describes discarded electrical or electronic devices.
Which accounts for 5% of all municipal solid waste. E waste includes computers and peripherals, such as keyboards, monitors, and mice. Ewaste or electronic waste is created when an electronic product is discarded after the end of its useful life. Ewaste has become a rapidly emergent pollution problem worldwide due to the production, commercialization, and utilization of electrical and electronic appliances, which. Major recycling of e waste is carried out in the nonformal sector using primitive and hazardous methods. Such globalization of ewaste has adverse environmental and. Electronic waste and india ministry of electronics and. Iron and steel constitute the major fraction in waste electrical and electronic equipment weee materials, with plastics being the.
Soil pollution soil pollution is defined as the addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity. Here are some of the main ways that different types of e waste can negatively affect the planet and its inhabitants. It also provides strategies for the management of e waste pollution. Managing the environmental and regulatory challenges 2 because of the complexities of identifying, handling and disposing of ewaste, companies may choose to work with experts that can help develop and manage effective risk management ewaste strategies.
Ewaste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their useful life. This book give a comprehensive overview on ewaste sources and entry routes in soil, air, water and sediment. When china banned 24 kinds of solid waste last september, countries such as the u. Covid19 waste and recyclables essential services statement.
Electronic waste was a natural effect of the technological revolution in the 1970s. Extensive utilization of electric and electronic equipment in a wide range of applications has resulted in the generation of huge volumes of electronic waste e waste globally. Electronic waste e waste is one of the fastestgrowing pollution problems worldwide given the presence if a variety of toxic substances which can contaminate the environment and threaten human health, if disposal protocols are not meticulously managed. This explosive growth in the electronics industry, however, has led to a rapidly escalating issue of endoflife eol electronics or ewaste. Electronic waste or e waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Large household appliances including cooling and freezing. Mar 01, 2020 waste pollution is one of the broadest social and environmental issues. Electronic waste is becoming a global environmental. Nadeem ali, khurram shahzad, ehtisham nazar, nabil a. Health and environmental hazards of electronic waste in india, journal of environmental health 78 no. Kusuma kumari2, 1department of geology, 2department of sociology, govt. Until last year, china accepted 70 percent of the worlds electronic wastediscarded computers, cell phones, printers, televisions, microwaves, smoke alarms. Indian institute of chemical engineers calcutta regional centre.
Electronic waste is one of the fastestgrowing types of waste worldwide. Computer equipment, monitorstvs, cell phones, batteries, stereos, etc. The european commissions circular economy action plan calls for initiatives for the entire life cycle of products, from design and manufacturing to consumption, repair, reuse, recycling, and bringing resources back into the economy. In addition, ewaste also encompasses items that can be ecycled electronics that are going to be reused, resold, salvaged, or recycled. This article provides the basic information on electronic. It addresses the impact of ewaste on the environment and public health and on soil microbial community diversity. May 23, 2019 a s a techhungry nation flush with cash gets ready to upgrade to the next generation of lightningfast 5g devices, there is a surprising environmental cost to be reckoned with. Informal processing of e waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and. According to a january 2019 report from the world economic forum, e waste is now the fastestgrowing waste stream in the world, with an estimated waste stream of 48. Aug 29, 2018 electronic pollution is gradually becoming one of the fastgrowing pollution issues and countless news articles and case studies regarding e waste and electronic pollution are spreading like wildfire across the internet. The e waste contributing to a large percentage of the toxicity in ghanaian landfills appears to be the tip of the iceberg with electronic waste pollution being problematic in other.
Electronic waste ewaste is used for all electronicelectrical devices which are no more used. As identified in the guidance on executive order 202. Pdf waste of electrical and electronic apparatuses generated in huge. Recycling e waste enables us to recover various valuable metals and other materials from electronics, saving natural resources energy, reducing pollution, conserving landfill space, and creating jobs. It is a buildup of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or diseasecausing agents in the soil which have adverse effects on plant growth, human and. Electronic waste an emerging threat to the environment of.
Although ewaste contains toxic materials, however, its management is rarely focused by policy makers. With the usage of electrical and electronic equipment eee on the rise, the amount of electrical and electronic waste e waste produced each day is equally growing enormously around the globe. Ewaste includes computers and peripherals, such as keyboards, monitors, and mice. Theres many different types of waste, different ways that waste can pollute the environment, and a range of effects that waste pollution can have across society. Mar 12, 2020 right now, less than 40 percent of electronic waste in the eu is recycled. Trends of electronic waste pollution and its impact on the. Air pollution many rudimentary ewaste processing plants are not ethically run or safe.
Therefore, despite significant recycling, ewaste is liable for 5000 t cu an. Aug 08, 2017 electronic pollution or e waste it is a big question that where do the electronic things go after it is dead we all must have heard about air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and noise pollution but electronic pollution is the new upcoming pollution which has been increasing terrifically with each passing day. Electronic waste university of california, berkeley. Oecd 2001 ewaste is defined as any appliance sing an electric power supply that. Considering that the annual ewaste production approximates 20mt, the total quantities of the several pollutants contained in the ewaste flow result, to a great extent, in landfills or recycling centres affecting the environment andor public health.
Electronic waste pollution environmental occurrence and. Ferrous and nonferrous metals, glass, plastics, pollutants, and other are the six categories of materials reported for e waste composition. Nearly 290,000 tons of electronic waste was generated in. Indian institute of chemical engineers calcutta regional. Electronic waste, e waste, escrap, or waste electrical and electronic equipment weee describes discarded electrical or electronic devices.
Electronic waste ewaste is one of the fastestgrowing pollution problems worldwide given the presence if a variety of toxic substances which can contaminate the environment and threaten human health, if disposal protocols are not meticulously managed. E waste can be classified on the basis of its composition and components. Everything that surrounds us is directly or indi rectly connected to the environment. Jun 25, 2019 e waste is growing, and with that surge comes the need for effective electronics recycling programs. The waste generated as a result of the obsolescence or end of life of such equipment is termed e waste or electrical and electronic waste. A challenge for sustainable development journal of. E waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their useful life. Pollution analysis of soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Environmental impact of processing electronic waste key. Recycling of valuable elements contained in e waste such as copper and gold has become a source of income mostly in the informal sector of developing or emerging industrialized countries. Apr 29, 2019 soil pollution soil pollution is defined as the addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity. The study is an assessment on pollution due to the use of some of the hazardous chemicals in the manufacture of electronic products in these countries.
Electronic pollution the upcoming environmental concern. The exclusion includes collection, transportation, processing. Informal processing of e waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution. Jun 02, 2015 here are some of the main ways that different types of ewaste can negatively affect the planet and its inhabitants. E waste consists of, not only toxic heavy metals such as pb lead, cr chromium, ni nickel, cd cadmium and hg mercury etc. A s a techhungry nation flush with cash gets ready to upgrade to the next generation of lightningfast 5g devices, there is a surprising environmental cost to be reckoned with. After discovering the damages it can cause to the environment, several rules and regulations were enacted to take care of e waste. Computers, televisions, vcrs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Mase, tiina reponen, shukmei ho, and aimin chen, ewaste management in the united states and public health implications, journal of environmental health 79 no. The e waste contributing to a large percentage of the toxicity in ghanaian landfills appears to be the tip of the iceberg with electronic waste pollution being problematic in other developing countries too. For example, some ewaste traffickers burn open computer wires in order to get to the copper inside a valuable commodity. Ewaste or electronic waste, therefore, broadly describes loosely discarded, surplus, obsolete, broken, electrical or electronic devices 4.
Extensive utilization of electric and electronic equipment in a wide range of applications has resulted in the generation of huge volumes of electronic waste ewaste globally. It addresses the impact of e waste on the environment and public health and on soil microbial community diversity. Here are some of the main ways that different types of ewaste can negatively affect the planet and its inhabitants. Electronic waste e waste is one of the fastest growing segments of our nations waste stream. Around 50 million tons of electronic waste, or ewaste, is being thrown away each year, according to a report published this year by the united nations. According to the epa, recycling one million laptops can save the energy equivalent of electricity that can run 3,657 u.
Electronic waste commonly known as e waste is the popular name given to electronic products nearing or at the end of its useful life. Air pollution many rudimentary e waste processing plants are not ethically run or safe. The amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment weee has proliferated immensely during the last decades. The rich worlds electronic waste, dumped in ghana citylab. Globally about to 20 50 million tonnes of ewaste are disposed of each year. Electronic waste is becoming a global environmental problem. There is a lack of consensus as to whether the term. In landfills or primitive recycling operations, toxic materials can be released from old electronic devices into the environment. E waste has become a rapidly emergent pollution problem.
There are presently no standard approaches for handling, dismantling, and the. Pollution analysis of soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from informal electronic waste dismantling areas in xinqiao, china weihua gu, jianfeng bai, wenyi yuan, en ma, chenglong zhang, and jingwei wang. According to a unep press release, the us sold 350 million second hand computer units in 2004 and 3 billion units in 2010 to asia and africa. Considering that the annual e waste production approximates 20mt, the total quantities of the several pollutants contained in the e waste flow result, to a great extent, in landfills or recycling centres affecting the environment andor public health. Adequate legislative measures and costeffective, environmental friendly, technological solution would be needed to address the issue. Epa and taiwan environmental protection administration taiwan epa coordinate the international ewaste management network iemn, which has brought together environmental officials from asia, latin america, the caribbean, africa, and north america to. Pdf over the recent past, the global market of electrical and electronic. It is a buildup of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or diseasecausing agents in the soil which have adverse effects on plant growth, human and animal health. Ewaste consists of, not only toxic heavy metals such as pb lead, cr chromium, ni nickel, cd cadmium and hg mercury etc. As eee industries are one of the fastest growing streams, they are also an emerging problem because they generate larger volumes of e waste electronic waste.
Waste, is a combination of used or unwanted electronic products that have exceeded their shelf life. Although e waste contains toxic materials, however, its management is rarely focused by policy makers. A central pollution control board cpcb report said 65 cities in india. Managing electronic wastes guidance for generators, collectors, and recyclers what is electronic waste. With the usage of electrical and electronic equipment eee on the rise, the amount of electrical and electronic waste ewaste produced each day is equally growing enormously around the globe. Ewaste management project in ethiopia pdf 84 pp, 2. Recycling of valuable elements contained in ewaste such as copper and gold has become a source of income mostly in the informal sector of developing or emerging industrialized.
Ewaste encompasses a board and growing range of electronic devices ranging from large household devices such as refrigerators, air conditioners, cell phones, personal stereos, and consumer electronics to computers which have been discarded by their users. Alhakamy, iqbal mohammad ibrahim ismail, muhammad imtiaz rashid et al. After discovering the damages it can cause to the environment, several rules and regulations were enacted to take care of ewaste. With rapid global advancement and an exponential growth rate in the electrical and electronic industries in the 21st century has come a corresponding change in consumer lifestyles, resulting in the generation of a huge amount of endoflife electronics, known as electronic waste e waste kiddee et al. It encompasses all broken, unusable, or outdatedobsolete electronic devices, components, and materials. With rapid global advancement and an exponential growth rate in the electrical and electronic industries in the 21st century has come a corresponding change in consumer lifestyles, resulting in the generation of a huge amount of endoflife electronics, known as electronic waste ewaste kiddee et al. Electronic waste commonly known as ewaste is the popular name given to electronic products nearing or at the end of its useful life. Highly complex ewaste can contain metals, polymers and ceramics along with several hazardous and toxic constituents. Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e waste.
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