E-WASTEElectronic waste or E-waste describes discarded

electrical or electronic devices.

All electronic scrap contain contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants

. Even in developed countries recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to workers and communities.

Amount of E-waste worldwide

• Rapid changes in technology, changes in media, falling prices have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe.

• An estimated 50 million tons of E-waste are produced each year.

• The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators.

Environmental Impact of Electronic Waste

• The processes of dismantling and disposing of electronic waste lead to a number of environmental impacts. Liquid and atmospheric releases end up in bodies of water, groundwater, soil, and air and therefore in land and sea animals – both domesticated and wild, in crops eaten by both animals and human, and in drinking water.

Harmful substances

• Americium: The radioactive source in smoke alarms.

• Mercury: Found in fluorescent tubes. Environmental effects in animals include death, reduced fertility, and slower growth and development.

• Sulphur: Found in lead acid batteries. Health effects include liver damage, kidney damage, heart damage, eye irritation

• One study of environmental effects found the following:

1. Levels of carcinogens in duck ponds and rice paddies exceeded international standards for agricultural areas and cadmium, copper, nickel, and lead levels in rice paddies were above international standards.

2. Heavy metals found in road dust – lead over 300 times that of a control village’s road dust and copper over 100 times.

E-waste management

• Recycling-1. Today the electronic waste recycling business

is in all areas of the developed world a large and rapidly consolidating business.\

2. Audio-visual components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold.

REUSE• Retro computing- is the use of older computer hardware

and software (E-Waste) in modern times. Retro computing is usually classed as a hobby and recreation rather than a practical application of technology.

• Reuse is an alternative option to recycling because it extends the lifespan of a device. Devices still need eventual recycling, but by allowing others to purchase used electronics, recycling can be postponed and value gained from device use.