Electronic waste: Difference between revisions

Electronic waste, otherwise known as e-waste or WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) is a term that encompasses all waste with electronic components. This definition can be refined as to include household appliances, computers and computer peripherals, monitors, TVs, audio and video equipment, telephony equipment, lighting, and battery operated toys.

Problem

Electronic waste is especially concerning for three reasons.

1. It contains a number of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
2. The amount of electronic waste being produced around the world is rapidly accelerating. In the ^W, during the period of 2000-2020, the amount of electronic waste produced is projected to increase at 5% per year at best and 10% per year at worst^[1]. In the U.S.A., between 1998 and 2007, the rate of electronic waste production growth was approximately 8% per year^[2].
3. A large portion of this waste is not disposed of properly. For example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency found that 82% of the TVs, cell phones and computer products disposed of in 2007 were landfilled^[3].

Summed up in one sentence, electronic waste is a growing source of hazardous waste that that has not been addressed in many^{[4] W} countries.

Definition

Every country that has legislation concerning electronic waste has their own definition, but European Directive 2002/96/EC^[5] sums it up nicely.

1. Large household appliances (eg. ovens and refrigerators)
2. Small household appliances (eg. blenders)
3. IT and telecommunications equipment (eg. computers)
4. Consumer equipment (eg. digital audio players and TVs)
5. Lighting equipment (eg. light bulbs and fixtures)
6. Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
7. Toys, leisure and sports equipment
8. Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
9. Monitoring and control instruments
10. Automatic dispensers (eg. vending machines)

The above categories include most items that include electronics, with the exception of biohazardous, military, and very large waste.

Components

Electronic waste contains a number of hazardous materials, that will leach out or be released if disposed of improperly. Below is a list of constituent parts of electronic waste.

Large quantities

• Plastics, in casings, fans and electrical insulation
• Epoxy resin hardened fiberglass, in printed circuit boards
• Lead is present in numerous types of items, especially in solder and CRT monitors
• Zinc, used to inhibit corrosion and in batteries
• Tin, present in solder
• Copper, in wiring and printed circuit boards
• Aluminum, in hard drives, heat sinks, and casings
• Steel, in cases and for structural reinforcement

Small quantities

• Cadmium, in batteries and pigments^[6]
• Beryllium, half of the world’s yearly production is used in computer and communication equipment^[7]
• Mercury, in batteries and fluorescent lightbulbs
• Thallium, used in optics^[8] and in photoresistors^[9]
• Antimony, in lead-free solder, as a flame retardant^[10], and in batteries^[11]
• Nickel, used in magnets, as an alloying metal in steel, and in batteries
• Chromium, as an alloying metal in steel, in the production of pigments and magnetic tape
• Additives such as ^W, ^W
• Carbon and ceramics, in resistors
• Precious metals, such as silver, gold and palladium in extremely low concentrations ^[12].

Among the substances, content varies wildly by electronic waste type. An account of this was written by Morf, L. et al.^[13].

Production

The electronics industry is an industry where technological improvements are being made rapidly, leading to the obsolescence of certain products very quickly. As an example, the lifespan of the average desktop computer in the USA is 2 years^[14].

Table 1: average electronic waste produced per person, by country

Environmental effects and toxicity

Lead

Consumer electronics make up 40 % of the lead in landfills.^[16]

In electronic waste, lead occurs mainly in two forms; in ^W monitors and in lead solder. CRT monitors produce x-rays, as the result of accelerated electrons interacting with the glass of the display. Therefore, the glass of the display and the internal shielding is leaded. About 24% of the glass is lead oxide^[17].

Other heavy metals

About 70 % of the heavy metals (mercury and cadmium) in US landfills come from electronic waste. .^[18]

Certain metals are directly dangerous to humans, while others impact us in other ways.

The metal thallium is highly toxic^[19]

Other metals require special circumstances for them to be harmful, such as Metals such as copper and tin are only toxic in certain forms.

Brominated flame retardants

Brominated flame retardants such as ^W, ^W and ^W are present in many plastics ^[20].

Plastic additives

Other toxins

Bioaccumulating toxins such as ^W, ^W, ^W, and ^W are present in small quantities ^[21]. ^W is a process in which an organism accumulates an unwanted substance in its body faster than it can be expelled. This process works in concert with ^W

Recycling electronic waste

Main article: Metal reclamation and recycling of electronic waste

Electronic waste recycling is a complex task, especially when the safe disposal of numerous hazardous materials is required.

Legislation and practices

Main article: Electronic waste legislation and practices

Electronic waste legislation and practices vary by country, but there are a number of international initiatives, such as the 1989 Basel Conventions and the European Union’s Reduction of Hazardous Substances Directive.

The role you play

As an individual, you have a considerable ability to influence the electronics industry and how the electronic waste you produce is handled and disposed of.

Sustainable computing

Reduce

The ideal way to reduce the impact that electronic waste has on humanity, and the environment that sustains it, is by reducing our consumption of electronic devices. The electronics industry is a source of constant innovations and very short timespans between generations of technology. This creates a climate that encourages upgrading equipment before its useful lifespan is spent. Before purchasing electronics, as a gift or for yourself, consider what you will use it for and how long it is expected that it will be used for. Do the benefits outweigh the cost of the item and the impact it will eventually have?

Reuse

As explained above, many electronic products are unwanted and disposed of even while they still function. If you no longer want an electronic item, consider selling or donating it to someone who would. Online services such as Freecycle [9] and Craigslist [10] can help you find people would like these items.

Recycle

If the electronics you no longer want have no value to anyone else, make sure that you take it to a local electronics recycler.

References