Recycling E-Waste

By Nathan Seskin

What is e-waste?• E-waste is electronic and

electrical trash, which has become more prevalent with the rapid growth in the consumption of electronic devices.!

• According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), roughly 40 million metric tons of e-waste is produced each year around the world, 13 percent of which is recycled in developing countries.

E-waste in developing countries

• Developing countries with rapidly-growing economies frequently handle e-waste from more developed countries.!

• 70 percent of e-waste handled in India comes from other countries.!

• Recycling valuable materials from e-waste, such as copper and gold, has become a profitable industry for many people in these countries.

The problem

• The recycling methods for acquiring valuable materials from e-waste are extremely primitive, such as burning cables for copper and/or gold.!

• Those who recycle e-waste are often exposed to a wide array of hazardous substances.

The implications of recycling e-waste

• Hazardous materials accumulate in soil, water and food.!

• While burning wire to get out copper, people can inhale toxic fumes. !

• Children are particularly at risk to these health problems, which can cause irreversible damages to their developing central nervous, immune, reproductive and digestive systems.