Lately, there has been a major increase in electronic waste, or E-waste which has become incredibly harmful to the environment. The amount of waste from phones, TVs, refrigerators, etc. has become overwhelming.
Too Much Waste
The devices people use on the daily bases are constantly being replaces for new ones. For example, cellphones. Phones are the number one device that is most likely to be replaces in at least a year. However, this has caused a major issue worldwide. To put it in perspective, this amount of waste if at least five times higher than the amount of recycling being done. As a result, there have been any health and climate problems caused by this. In the year 2022, there have been about 62 million metric tons of e-waste according to the United Nations Global E-waste Monitor.
To put this into perspective of how damaging this is, this amount of waste can fill up more than 1.4 million trucks. If these trucks were put together, they could make a line long enough to wrap around the equator. Global waste has gone up by 82 percent since the year 2010. This is bound to rise further 32 percent in the next six years reaching around 80 million. Unfortunately, recycling rates for these materials is far behind. In 2022, less than 22 percent of the e-waste collected was actually recycled. Small electronic objects such as toys, e-cigarettes’, or vacuum cleaners make up a third of the e-waste made. Unfortunately, these objects have a very low recycling rate of only 12 percent. Predictions are that the recycling rates for this waste will drop about 20 percent in the next six years.
Environment and Climate is Suffering
E-waste is an environmental problem as well as a climate problem. These devices are made with raw materials. These are processed in a high energy process usually using fossil fuels as its source of power. However, since there has been a increase in demands for new devices, the impacts on the climate are increasing. This waste can be very complex, since different electronics require different materials. A washing machine is made of very different components than a TV.
To make matters worse, these devices have materials that are really harmful and hazardous to the environment. Some of these materials are cobalt, flame retardants, and lead. Ever year, electronic waste that has been made improperly, releases more than 150 thousand pounds of mercury. This is very harmful to the health of humans and animals. Unfortunately this makes recycling process tricky and dangerous. in low income countries, the e-waste recyclers might be going door to door to collect unused electronics. They then melt down these electronics without the proper safety equipment in order to extract the metals. This causes the environment and themselves to be exposed to poisoning.
A Change Must Happen
It is widely known the negative effects that this waste is causing to humans and to the planet. However, it seems like there is nothing being done to fix this big problem. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of E-waste in the world is for wealthy countries to stop dumping all of their waste onto countries that lack the capacity to properly recycle this.
People can also stop throwing away so many old devices and instead recycle them. There also needs to be high quality products being made. This way it will be less likely for people to have the need to replace their electronics. If devices were far more durable than they are now, the e-waste problem will decrease significantly. Unfortunately, it is unlikely for these changes to happen. E-waste will continue to be a problem for many years.
Written by Erika P. Cano P.
Sources:
Wired: The World’s E-Waste Has Reached a Crisis Point
CNN: Electronic waste has grown to record levels. Here’s why that’s a huge problem
CBS News: There’s so much electronic waste in the world it could span the equator – and it’s still growing
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of baselactionnetwork Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of U.S. Army Environmental Command Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
