In our efforts to live sustainably, we probably have it down when it comes to avoiding single-use plastic items, upcycling textiles, or saving energy. However, there is a significant aspect of global pollution that remains largely overlooked: electronic waste or e-waste. Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household, but with the major growth in technology sales due to the pandemic, this number may have already increased.
There is a wide range of items that fall under e-waste, but in general, end-of-life products with electrical components and power or battery supply fit the bill. Personal electronic devices easily come to mind, but kitchen and household appliances are included as well. All of these must be disposed of and recycled separately from general trash to avoid environmental and health risks.
Improper e-waste management emits chemical and toxic substances like mercury and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which contaminate the air, water, and soil, says Deepali Sinha Khetriwal, Ph.D., international e-waste expert and managing director of Sofies India. The hazardous substances are also bioaccumulative, causing significant damage that affects human, plant, and animal life. It is crucial to minimize e-waste as much as possible to diminish these harmful effects.
“Repairing and extending the use of products is one of the best ways to minimize the amount of e-waste that is generated,” Deepali says. This time of rapid technological change has given way to short product cycles for electronics and gadgets. They are bought and thrown away at an astonishing rate as consumers regularly scramble to buy the latest model. Gadgets multiply five times faster than the human population does and there are now more mobile phones than people in the world.
Consumers are also discouraged from storing old electronics for long periods. It is much better to hand them over to a recycler immediately so valuable materials will be brought back into circulation. A report reveals that the raw materials from 2019’s global e-waste are worth approximately $57 billion. Through proper recycling, it is possible to recover precious metals like iron, copper, and gold from the “urban mine” of e-waste. “Secondary materials recovered from e-waste can substitute the demand for primary materials that are mined from ore,” Deepali says, given that recycling systems collect and treat e-waste properly.
The overall growth of e-waste currently surpasses global recycling efforts, so it is crucial to produce, consume, and dispose of e-waste sustainably. The world produces up to 50 million tons of e-waste per year, but only 20% of it is recycled. But the good news is some areas have collection and recycling systems that allow consumers to drop off e-waste at designated points, Deepali says. This makes it easier for individuals to dispose of their end-of-life products. Several companies and retailers also accept used devices and appliances to trade in or recycle, such as Apple, Canon, Amazon, Staples, and Best Buy.
Unwanted products may still have life in them, so selling fully functioning secondhand devices and repurposing old electronics are also great ways of letting go of them. Every person produces about 20 kg of e-waste annually, but by making conscious purchasing and recycling decisions, generating less waste and living a more sustainable lifestyle is completely attainable.
"Electronic" - Google News
October 15, 2020 at 05:18AM
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We Need Electronic Recycling to Become More Popular - Architectural Digest
"Electronic" - Google News
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