There is an immense amount of e-waste in the world, enough to cover the equator, and it continues to increase.
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There is a growing quantity of electronic waste.
The rate at which these items are being recycled is significantly slower than their production, leading to a buildup of waste that is currently large enough to encircle the earth’s equator.
reusing them
The study revealed that electronic products are being discarded at a rate that is five times higher than the rate at which they are being reused.
e-waste recycling
In the single year of 2022, individuals produced a staggering amount of 136.6 billion pounds of electronic waste. This quantity is equivalent to the capacity of numerous 40-metric-ton trucks, which, if lined up, could stretch across the boundary between the northern and southern hemispheres. Only slightly more than 22% of this waste was properly gathered and processed for recycling.
The Global E-waste Monitor
The number continues to increase. According to the report, 5.7 billion pounds of electronic waste is created annually.
According to a statement from the U.N. Institute for Training and Research, a health and environmental danger can arise from products with harmful ingredients or substances like mercury, which can negatively impact the brain and coordination of humans.
A significant amount of this waste consists of small objects such as toasters, with solar panels being the least common type of waste. Additionally, numerous items are transported globally.
Muntaka Chasant
10,000-acre illegal dump in Guiyu, China.
A study revealed that over 1.1 billion pounds of electronic waste is transported between countries annually, with a large portion coming from wealthy nations and going to middle or low-income nations through unregulated movements. CBS News first reported on this issue in 2008, when journalist Scott Pelley tracked the journey of recycled computer components from Denver, Colorado to an illegal dump spanning 10,000 acres in Guiyu, China.toxic dump in China.
According to the report of the United Nations, it is challenging to track the movement of these items due to frequent illegal actions. Although the majority of nations are obligated to follow the Basel Convention guidelines for e-waste exports, it is not unusual for shipments to be purposely mislabeled in order to bypass the rules.
According to the report, it is essential for countries to have their own policies regarding electronic waste management. However, out of the 193 countries studied, only 81 have implemented regulations or laws related to e-waste. The effectiveness of these measures is also uncertain, as the report notes that a significant number of countries do not establish specific goals for waste collection and recycling.
E-waste’s impact on Earth
The report from the United Nations states that unregulated electronic waste has a harmful effect on the environment and human health. This waste contains dangerous elements, such as flame retardants commonly used in screens and monitors, which can be inhaled during burning.
The process of obtaining materials for electronics production is detrimental to both individuals and the environment due to its harmful effects.mining rare materials
It can be challenging to retrieve.
According to the report, a significant amount of minerals containing metals require extracting a large amount of rock. For example, it takes 3 million kg (6.6 million pounds) of mineral ore to produce just 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of gold through mining.
The report discovered that by extracting resources from electronic waste, it could prevent emitting billions of pounds of CO2-equivalent.
Reprocessing specific types of electronic waste, such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units, and other temperature regulating equipment, can reduce the release of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere during disposal. These chemicals interact with other molecules and deplete the ozone layer, leading to increased exposure to radiation from the sun and contributing to climate change and higher UV risks for individuals. According to the report, over 75% of this equipment is currently disposed of in ways that are not environmentally sustainable.
R. Kuehr, UNITAR
The future of electronic waste
The United Nations has expressed alarm over the growing amount of electronic waste and is calling for prompt action to address this issue. According to a report, if current trends continue, there could be a decrease in the collection and recycling of e-waste by 2030 due to increased consumption, limited repair options, and shorter product lifecycles, among other factors.
However, according to the United Nations, implementing additional policies and taking action could lead to a significant improvement in these rates within the same timeframe. It is estimated that by 2030, as much as 60% of waste could be collected and recycled, resulting in a net benefit of over $38 billion.
Kees Balde, the main writer of the report, stated that the current recycling of e-waste only satisfies less than 1% of the demand for vital rare earth elements. It is clear that the current methods cannot persist, and this report urgently calls for increased investment in infrastructure development, promoting repair and reuse, building capacity, and taking action to prevent illegal e-waste shipments.
Li Cohen
Source: cbsnews.com