E-Waste
E-Waste : Hazards and Management
E-Waste
Electronic waste or e-waste means discarded electrical or electronic devices.
Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste.
Classification of E-Waste
Electronic waste can by classified into three category-
Fastest growing waste
Most valuable waste
Very hazardous waste (if not handled carefully)
Composition of E-Waste
Electrical and Electronic equipment contains –
Metallic and Non-metallic elements
Alloys and Compounds such as Copper, Aluminium, Gold, Silver, Platinum, Nickel, Tin, Lead, Iron, Sulphur, Phosphorous, Arsenic, etc.
Types of E-Waste -
Govt. of India, is categorised the E-Waste into several categories –
Large household appliances (including cooling and freezing appliances),
Small household appliances, IT equipment (including monitors),
Consumer electronics (including TVs),
Lamps and Luminaires,
Toys & Sporting equipment,
Tools,
Medical devices,
Monitoring and control instruments and
Automatic dispensers.
E-Waste Hazards:-
E-Waste is a combination of plastics and toxic chemicals, these get released into the environment.
Pollutants such as dioxins and furans from polyvinyl chloride, lead, beryllium, cadmium, mercury, etc. get into our environment and cause the following health & environmental hazards:
On Human Health
Reproductive issues
Developmental problems
Damage to the immune system
Interference with regulatory hormones
Damage to the nervous system
Kidney damage
Hampers brain development in children
May lead to lung cancer
Skin ailments
Cadmium accumulations on liver and kidney
Asthmatic bronchitis
DNA damage
Muscle weakness
Endocrine system disruption
On Environment
Pollution of Ground Water
Acidification of Soil
Air Pollution
E-waster accounts for 40% of lead and 75% of the heavy metals found in landfills.
E-Waste Disposal Process / e-Waste Management
The E-waste management involves proper recycling and recovery of the disposed material.
Dismantling - Removal of dangerous substances (Hg switches, PCB), removal of easily accessible parts containing valuable substances (copper, steel, iron, precious, metal )
Segregation of ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal and plastic
Refurbishment and reuse
Recycling / Recovery of valuable materials
Treatment / Disposal of dangerous materials and waste.
Benefits of e-Waste Recycling (e-Waste Management)
It is very important to recycle & disposal of the e-Waste for the benefit of people, environment and the nation.
Allows for recovery of valuable precious metals.
Protects public health and water quality.
Creates jobs for professional recyclers and refurbishes and creates new markets for the valuable components.
Mining produces toxic waste, which are linked with crop devastation and human health crisis due to water contamination.
Recycling of E-waste saves landfill space.