Electronic waste, otherwise known as e-waste or WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) is a term that encompass any 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.
Electronic waste is especially concerning for three reasons. First, it contains a number of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, secondly, the amount of electronic waste being produced around the world is rapidly accelerating and 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 and that electronic waste production grew by approximately 8% per year between 1998 and 2007 [1].
Waste components
Electronic waste contains a number of hazardous materials, that will leach out if disposed of improperly. Below is a list of constituent parts of electronic waste.
Present in large quantities
- Plastics
- Epoxy resin hardened fiberglass, in printed circuit boards
- Lead is present in numerous types of items, especially in solder and CRT monitors
- Zinc
- 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
Present small quantities
- Cadmium
- Beryllium
- Mercury
- Thallium[2]
- Brominated flame retardants
- Precious metals, such as silver, gold and palladium in extremely low concentrations [3].
Environmental issues and toxicity
Lead
Heavy metals
Certain metals are directly dangerous to humans, while others impact us in other ways.
The metal thallium is highly toxic[4]
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 [5].
Plastic additives
Other toxins
Bioaccumulating toxins such as W, W, W, and W are present in small quantities [6].
Electronic waste 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[7].
Table 1: average electronic waste produced per person, by country
| Country | Production in kg/year | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 5.515 | 2005[3][4] |
| United States | 4.479 | 2005[5][6] |
| United Kingdom | 17.384 [8] | 2008[7][8] |
Recycling and disposal
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.
Electronic waste examples
In progress. Analysis of a desktop computer's components by weight, coming January 09.
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.
Your role
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.
References
- ↑ http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/manage.htm
- ↑ http://www.speclab.com/elements/thallium.htm
- ↑ Cui, J., Zhang, L., 2008, "Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: A review," Journal of Hazardous Materials, 158.
- ↑ http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/TH/thallium.html
- ↑ Choi, K.-I. et al., 2008, "Leaching of brominated flame retardants from TV housing plastics...," Chemosphere (2008).
- ↑ Liu, H. et al., 2007, "E-waste recycling induced polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans pollution in the ambient environment," Elsevier, sciencedirect.com
- ↑ Kang, H. et Al., 2004, "Electronic waste recycling: A review of U.S. infrastructure and technology options," Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2005, (45), p.4 .
- ↑ Note: this number is very high compared to other countries. Other sources quote similar[1], or considerably higher [2] production.