E-Waste
The term “e-waste” is loosely applied to consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life. There is no clear definition for e-waste; for instance whether or not items like microwave ovens and other similar “appliances” should be grouped into the category has not been established.
Advantages of Electronic Waste
E-waste contains many valuable, recoverable materials such as aluminum, copper, gold, silver, plastics, and ferrous metals. In order to conserve natural resources and the energy needed to produce new electronic equipment from virgin resources, electronic equipment can be refurbished, reused, and recycled instead of being landfilled.
Benefits and advantages:
- Conserves natural resources. Recycling recovers valuable materials from old electronics that can be used to make new products. As a result, we save energy, reduce pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save resources by extracting fewer raw materials from the earth.
- Protects your surroundings. Safe recycling of outdated electronics promotes sound management of toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury.
- Helps others. Donating your used electronics benefits your community by passing on ready-to-use or refurbished equipment to those who need it.
- Create Jobs. eCycling creates jobs for professional recyclers and refurbishers and creates new markets for the valuable components that are dismantled.
- Saves landfill space. E-waste is a growing waste stream. By recycling these items, landfill space is conserved.
Disadvantages of Electronic Waste
- E-waste means End of life electronic products like computers,printers,tvs, cellphone etc.It is a complex global problem. Electronic products contain hazardous meterials which includes poisnous chemicals. For example lead,mercury. Lead is used in CRTs of computer and telivion monitors. It causes damage to the nurvous system. Mercury is used in flat panel display screens which contains neurotixin. The harmful metal is absorbed by the human body through contaminated drinking water. The e-waste can effects the environment as well as the people also.
- The main producer of e-waste was US and they send it to some other countries for recycling.Recycling means burning wires to recover metals,melting circuits and also acid stripping. Even the recycling process produce so many problems to the environment. The recycling process can be done by men,women and also little childrens which are not having any protection for health.
- The information is very less to know about the e-waste. Long-
term effects on environment is still unknown. so increasing
the education about the e-waste is needed.
