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Environmental Risks
E-waste is toxic, non-biodegradable, and accumulates in the environment, contaminating soil, air, water, and living organisms. Harmful disposal practices such as open-air burning and acid baths, used to extract valuable materials from electronic components, release toxic substances into the environment.
These methods expose workers to hazardous contaminants, including lead, mercury, beryllium, cadmium, arsenic, brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Long-term exposure can cause severe health issues, such as:
Cancers
Neurological disorders
Miscarriages
Cognitive impairments and reduced IQ
A Call for a Circular Economy
A 2019 report, "A New Circular Vision for Electronics – Time for a Global Reboot," advocates for a circular economy approach, aiming to minimize waste and energy loss. The report is supported by the E-Waste Coalition, which includes ILO, ITU, UNEP, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNU, and the Basel & Stockholm Conventions Secretariats.
Improper handling of e-waste results in a massive loss of rare and valuable raw materials, including: Neodymium – Essential for magnets in motors Indium – Used in flat-panel displays Cobalt – Crucial for batteries
Currently, rare earth metals are rarely recovered through informal recycling. For instance, only 30% of cobalt is extracted, despite existing technology that could recover up to 95%. However, demand for recycled metals remains high, especially for laptops, smartphones, and electric vehicles.
Additionally, recycling metals is significantly more energy-efficient than mining new ones: Recycled metals use 2 to 10 times less energy than virgin metals. Extracting gold from e-waste produces 80% fewer carbon emissions compared to traditional mining.
In 2015, raw material extraction accounted for 7% of global energy consumption. Shifting towards secondary raw materials in electronics can significantly support climate targets set by the Paris Agreement.
E-Waste and Climate Change
Every electronic device contributes to carbon emissions. For example, producing one tonne of laptops can release up to 10 tonnes of CO₂.
Most of a device's carbon footprint occurs during manufacturing, even before it reaches the consumer. This makes it essential to: Use low-carbon production processes Incorporate recycled raw materials Extend product lifespan to minimize waste
Low Recycling Rates: A Global Concern
Despite the increasing demand for electronic devices, global e-waste recycling rates remain low: EU: The global leader in e-waste recycling, yet only 35% is officially collected and processed. Worldwide: Just 20% of e-waste is recycled, while the remaining 80% is undocumented, often ending up in landfills where it remains for centuries.
As electronics become smaller and more complex, recycling becomes more challenging and expensive. A significant portion of e-waste, particularly plastics mixed with metals and chemicals, poses severe environmental risks when improperly disposed of.
The Urgent Need for Action
The increasing volume of e-waste, coupled with low recycling rates, places a significant burden on the environment and the electronics industry. To address this growing crisis, we must: Enhance e-waste collection and recycling infrastructure Invest in advanced recycling technologies Encourage responsible consumer disposal practices Promote sustainable manufacturing and circular economy initiatives
A shift towards responsible e-waste management will help reduce environmental harm, conserve valuable resources, lower carbon emissions, and create a more sustainable future.
Thank you for reading our blog post. We hope you found it valuable and informative.
If you have any questions related to end-to-end waste management, would like to learn more about our services, or just want to connect, feel free to reach out. We are always open to discussions and collaboration.
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