Electronic waste, which includes outdated and obsolete electronic equipment, is accumulating around the world and threatens to pollute the environment. Contributing to the e-waste problem is the fact that electronic manufacturers are continually coming out with new models to replace the old. A new iPad, iPhone or Kindle is introduced yearly, sometimes even more often. Because e-waste disposal has become a serious problem, some U.S. legislators want to hold manufacturers responsible for ensuring their products are recycled.
E-waste consists of discarded, surplus, obsolete, or broken electrical or electronic devices. This poses an environmental problem because of negligence in recycling electronic waste, especially in developing countries. Even in developed countries, there is danger of improper recycling and disposal of electronic waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that three-quarters of the computers sold in the U.S. are stockpiled in garages and closets. When discarded, they end up in landfills, incinerators, or are exported to foreign countries. E-waste is one of the fastest growing types of waste, and a lot of it is dumped in Africa and Asia.
The haphazard processing of electronic waste in developing countries causes serious health and pollution problems. Some electronic components like cathode ray tubes contain contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium and mercury. Even in the U.S., the recycling and disposal of e-waste can involve risks to both workers and the community. Care must be taken against unsafe exposure in recycling facilities, as well as the inadvertent leaching of toxic materials from landfills and incinerator ashes. These materials must be managed with caution, as the environmental dangers of unused and discarded electronics is not widely known.
Source: toptenwholesale.com
By Claudia Bruemmer