What are the impacts of e-waste on the environment?
What are the impacts of e-waste on the environment?
When e-waste is exposed to the heat, toxic chemicals are released into the air damaging the atmosphere; this is one of the biggest environmental impacts of e-waste. Those toxic materials can then seep into the groundwater, affecting both land and sea animals. Electronic waste can also contribute to air pollution.
What is e-waste pollution?
Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.
Why e-waste management is important?
E-waste is a rich source of metals such as gold, silver, and copper, which can be recovered and brought back into the production cycle. There is significant economic potential in the efficient recovery of valuable materials in e-waste and can provide income-generating opportunities for both individuals and enterprises.
Why e-waste is a problem?
There are also problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs.
Why is electronic waste a problem?
What are the effects of e-waste on Environment?
BY- SONTO SATTAM BISWAS fEffects of e-waste on environment The informal sector’s recycling practices magnify health risks. For example, primary and secondary exposure to toxic metals, such as lead, results mainly from open-air burning used to retrieve valuable components such as gold.
What is e-waste management?
Electronic waste is a common, informal name for electronic products approaching the end of their useful life. The current and the future production of e-waste, the potential environmental problems associated with their disposal and management practices are discussed whereas the existing e-waste management.
How much e-waste is there in the world?
E-waste Production 2.1 Current Situation. The global e-waste production is assessed at 20-50 Mt/year [3], equal to 1-3% of the estimated global urban waste production (1636 Mt) [4, 2]. PCs, cell phones and TVs will contribute 5.5 Mt in 2010 and will amount to 9.8 Mt in 2015.
Is e-waste harmful to the human body?
Combustion from burning e-waste creates fine 12 particulate matter, which is linked to pulmonary and cardiovascular disease. While the health implications of e-waste are difficult to isolate due to the informal working conditions, poverty, and poor sanitation, several studies in Guiyu, a city in southeastern China, offer insight.
