Today,

electronics are a normal aspect of life. In fact, electronic technology is

practically required to live comfortably and to work efficiently at the developed
world's standards. New and improved technology appears every single year, like
Apple's iPhone upgrades or the ever-expanding Samsung Galaxy phone/tablet line.
While those of us living in a consumer economy willingly buy the latest gadgets year
after year, how often do we think about what happens to our old equipment?

www.griffith.edu.au

Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a modern problem that takes a toll on both the
environment and on humanity. This "high-tech trash" includes, but is not limited to,
televisions, computer monitors, keyboards, mice, processors (CPUs), printers,
scanners, fax machines, pocket computers (PDAs), walkie-talkies, baby monitors,
certain kinds of watches, and cell phones. Anything digital that is no longer being
used qualifies as e-waste. Trash of this sort is actually the most detrimental, in
regards to both its growth rate and its toxic decay. As told in a National Geographic
examination, "Added together, this information-age detritus makes up the fastest
growing category of waste in the U.S. And the more complex the circuitry, the more
complicated the equipments disposal, since electronics contain toxic substances
such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and beryllium that pose a hazard to both
humans and the environment."
Facts on E-Waste

We throw out about 130,000 computers every day in the United States
Over 100 million cell phones are thrown out annually
E-waste amounts are expected to rise 21% by 2018 (to 50 million metric tons)
Cell phones, microwaves, and dishwashers are the most common e-waste
The main driver of e-waste is a growing middle class in places like China and India

as well as short lifespans of tech equipment

E-waste is advertised as being recycled within origin countries, but this typically
is not what happens in reality

e-waste2011.blogspot.com

According to a report by the United Nations University (UNU), the world produced
41.8 million metric tons of e-waste in 2014. Combined, this trash would fill 1.15
million 18-wheel trucks. When lined up, those trucks would stretch from New York
to Tokyo -- and back.
Unsurprisingly, the United States and China are the biggest producers of e-waste.
Together, the U.S. and China produce over one-third of all e-waste. Wealthy nations
in northern and western Europe, like Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, and
the United Kingdom, are also big contributors. Conversely, the lowest producers are
located in the developing world, including Africa and Oceania.
However, the people who generate the least amount of e-waste actually face the
brunt of the issue and its worst consequences. Much of the e-waste created in
wealthy nations is shipped oversees, often illegally, in enormous quantities. Many
times, promises of recycling and green renewal to this type of trash are made, but
such hopes are often not fulfilled. Only one-sixth of e-waste is actually recycled or
reused. The rest, as has long been documented, ends up in landfills, mostly in Africa
and other parts of the developing world.

www.greenfudge.org

This dumping is not just environmentally harmful and ethically horrid; there is a
purely anthropological health concern tied to it as well. Overseas shipments of
electronic waste -mostly to Africa and Asian - has created a market for parts
scavenging and valuable mineral extraction. These tech products hold bits of
precious metals within them, like silver, copper, platinum and gold. E-waste and
mines are therefore comparable to urban mines, located right within cities at the
disposal of anyone willing to hunt for desirable parts. Scavengers salvage
worthwhile components and minerals from this waste - which is an extremely time
consuming and dangerous process. Many discarded electronics contain toxic
materials. When such items are opened up for part-picking, the toxic substances are
released and terrible adverse health effects ensue, like increased cancer cases,
miscarriages for women, and high levels of lead in the blood.
The illegal shipment of waste to underdeveloped Southern nations has caused
global uproar. Waste facilities and even entire countries are labeled as criminals
who practice bioracism, the purposeful targeting of poorer world areas consisting
predominantly of colored communities. In 2005, the Basil Action Network found
500 shipping containers of electronics arriving in Lagos each month.
Mountainous e-waste accumulation is a current problem in places like Africa and
Asia, but this issue will have global implications. Unless consumption habits change
dramatically and e-recycling improves significantly, our world is going to be
overrun by garbage. There will be no space left to dump our disposed goods
anymore. Serious attention needs to be given to this area of concern and major
policy changes must be implemented before irreversible damage is inflicted upon
ecosystems, economies, and humankind.

Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/united-states-china-are-biggest-producers-of-e-
waste/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/magazine/13Cellphone-
t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/magazine/13Cellphone-
t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.salon.com/2015/04/20/the_planets_e_waste_problem_is_out_of_contr
ol_and_getting_worse/