Did you know facts about e-waste?

E-waste represents 2% of America’s trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste. 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed worldwide every year. Cell phones and other electronic items contain high amounts of precious metals like gold or silver.

How e-waste is generated?

E-waste or electronic waste is created when an electronic product is discarded after the end of its useful life. The rapid expansion of technology and the consumption driven society results in the creation of a very large amount of e-waste.

How much waste is e-waste?

In 2019 alone, the world generated 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste. That’s about 7.3 kilograms per person and equivalent in weight to 350 cruise ships.

What is the history of e-waste?

The history of electronic waste disposal generally began in the mid-70s. Since 1976, with the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), it has been illegal to dump e-waste in the United States.

What are problems with e-waste?

E-waste contains a laundry list of chemicals that are harmful to people and the environment, like: mercury, lead, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, and cadmium, i.e. stuff that sounds as bad as it is. When electronics are mishandled during disposal, these chemicals end up in our soil, water, and air.

Is there money in e-waste?

In terms of value, it is presently of Rs 25,000 crore industry which is expected to touch Rs 125,000 crores by 2020. Fortunately, the entire industry is presently untapped by the formal sector as required under the E-waste management rules of India.

How harmful is e-waste?

As mentioned, electronic waste contains toxic components that are dangerous to human health, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polybrominated flame retardants, barium and lithium. The negative health effects of these toxins on humans include brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage.

What is the full form of e-waste?

Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use (Step Initiative 2014).

What is the biggest problem with e-waste?

This e-waste contains hundreds of different materials and toxic substances like lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and flame retardants. After settling in a landfill, the toxic substances seep into the environment, contaminating land, air, and water.

What are the problems with e – waste?

Electronic waste is harmful because it contains toxic material, like lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium and arsenic. A big e-waste problem is brominated flame retardants.

What qualifies as e waste?

What Qualifies as E-Waste. Electronic waste includes computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, copiers , VCRs , fax machines, cell phones, printers, scanners, hard drives, stereo equipment, cables and cords, shredders, microwaves, and more. Basically, anything that qualifies as an electronic and that no longer works or has become obsolete is considered to be electronic waste.

How is e waste harmful to your health?

How E-Waste Is Harmful to Your Health. The toxic components in e-waste have the ability to damage almost every system in the human body: the nervous system, reproductive system and skeletal system , as well as the brain, heart, liver and kidneys, and also causes birth defects.

What happens to e waste?

After obsolete or unused electronics are thrown away as trash, two things can happen: the E-waste can either sit in a landfill or it can be recycled and used to create new products. As the demand for smart electronic products grows, so does the amount of E-waste.