Do you know the environmental threats posed by e-waste are getting more serious each year? Every day a new technology is introduced which results in rejecting or discarding the older one. With technological advancements, the latest gadgets and electronics are now available at affordable rates. This has resulted in frequent replacement of the older model televisions, laptops, and cellular phones with the new one. So, where do all our discarded electronics go?
The tremendous growth of the electronics industry has resulted in increasing end-of-life (EOL) electronics or e-waste. Reportedly, more than 4 million tons of e-waste ends up in landfills every year. In fact, e-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. The e-waste that ends up in landfills poses a serious threat to health and the environment. It contains non-biodegradable toxic substances and some electronics contain metals like mercury, lead, barium, and arsenic that can seep out of landfills and contaminate the soil and water.
What is E-Waste?
The EOL electronic devices are referred to as e-waste and e-scrap. The outdated, broken or damaged electronics that are discarded by the users comprises e-waste. It includes items such as computer equipment, stereos, televisions, and mobile phones. Broadly speaking, e-waste consists of equipment used for data processing, telecommunications or entertainment in households and businesses.
A significant amount of discarded electronics finds their way to the landfill which has become a serious concern. When we dispose of gadgets and devices improperly, dangerous metals and toxic chemicals pollute air, contaminate soil, and leaches into water sources. So, to protect our health, as well as the environment, we need to take a more responsible approach to dispose of our useless electronics thoughtfully.
The easiest way to get rid of dated gadgets is simply throwing an item away. However, it’s our responsibility to recycle all of our electronic waste (e-waste) to reduce the amount of damaged electronics becoming part of landfills.
Why is Electronics Recycling Important?
You should use computer, laptop, and mobile phones sensibly to prolong their life. But when they become useless, recycling is the best and most viable solution to eliminate the negative impact of e-waste. Instead of tossing out unwanted electronic devices in the trash or leaving it in the cabinet, recycling is a more sensible option. It helps in saving energy, reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as conserves earth’s natural resources. Here are some reasons to start recycling e-waste today:
Recycling can help in recovering valuable metals from old electronics that can be used to make new products. It is estimated that presently only 10-15 percent of the gold present in e-waste is recovered and remaining is lost. If recycling is practiced on a wider scale globally, we can save resources by extracting fewer raw materials from the earth.
The old electronic devices contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium, which cause serious harm to the environment. When the dangerous metals and chemicals are released to the environment, it contaminates soil and water.
The hazardous e-waste poses health risks such as kidney disease, brain damage, and even genetic mutations. The people living near landfills get exposed to the release of toxins and when they drink the contaminated water, it may cause cancer and several other deadly diseases.