Export of Electronics Equipment Waste

Abstract

Electronics equipment waste ("e-waste") includes discarded computers, computer monitors, television sets, and cell phones. Less than 10% of e-waste is currently recycled. The United States and other developed countries export e-waste primarily to Asia, knowing it carries a real harm to the poor communities where it will be discarded. A 2006 directive bans the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and certain brominated flame retardants in most electronics products sold in the EU. A similar directive facilitates the development and design of clean electronics products with longer lifespans that are safe and easy to repair, upgrade, and recycle, and will not expose workers and the environment to hazardous chemicals. These useful approaches apply only regionally and cover only a fraction of the hazardous substances used in electronics manufacture, however. There is an urgent need for manufacturers of electronics products to take responsibility for their products from production to end-of-life, and for much tighter controls both on the transboundary movement of e-waste and on the manner in which it is recycled. Manufacturers must develop clean products with longer lifespans that are safe and easy to repair, upgrade, and recycle and will not expose workers and the environment to hazardous chemicals.

Mapping international flows of electronic waste

“…The work by these groups documenting the destination, processing and toxicological effects of e-waste builds on an existing body of research by activists and academics concerned with the environmental and occupational health risks of electronics and printed circuit board manufacturing that has recognized for some time that the high-tech electronics industry has significant social and environmental costs (e.g., Ladou 1984Ladou , 1985Ladou , 1986Ladou , 1991aLadou , 1991bLadou , 2006Siegal 1985;Ladou and Lovegrove 2008) and is entangled with serious questions of social and environmental justice (e.g., Sussman 1998;Iles 2004;Smith et al 2006;Pellow 2007). A more recent set of analyses has begun to pay attention to the environmental implications of computers and other forms of IT from a materials and energy throughput perspective (Park and Roome 2002;Kuehr and Williams 2003;Williams 2004aWilliams , 2004bWilliams et al 2004;Gartner 2007;Williams et al 2008).…”

Electronic Waste Generation: Observational Status and Local Concept along with Environmental Impact

“…In presence of toxic materials and its derivatives, it may poses threat to human body mechanism and/or system impairment. There is a risk in the poor countries where children may be engaged to separate E-waste components (Ladou and Lovegrove, 2008). In the developing countries, a number of people have been suffered from unusual health disease due unconsciousness and unseemly management practices compared to develop countries.…”

E-Waste Disposal Challenges and Remedies: A Tanzanian Perspective

“…E-waste comprises discarded electronic appliances of which computers and mobile phones make the great contribution due to their short life span [11,12] In addition to its damaging effects to the environment and the illegal importation(smuggling) to the developing countries, researches have shown that, e-waste has damaging impacts (effects) to human health [12]. The effects of e-waste to human health and well being includes: respiratory problems, oxidative stress, DNA damage and the possibility of causing cancer.…”

“…E-waste also contains some components which are distinct from other forms of wastes. An example of these are the batteries such as lithium batteries, contact materials and fire retardants [13], others include monitors (LCD) Chips [11]. Table 3.…”