What is e-waste?Electronic waste (e-waste) comprises waste electronics/electrical goods that are not fit for their originally intended use or have reached their end of life. This may include items such as computer servers,mainframes,monitrs,CDs,printer,scanners,copiers,calculators,fax machines, battery cells, cellular phones, transceivers, TVs, medical apparatus and electronic components besides white goods such as refrigerators and air-conditioners.E-waste contains valuable materialssuch as copper, silver, gold andplatinum which could be processed for their recovery.

Types of Electronic Waste

Electronic waste is being generated at an extraordinary rate, especially with advancing technology and electronic items being considered obsolete after just a few years. Computers that are replaced with newer models are considered electronic waste, along with a variety of other items that are thrown away, such as:

VCRsDVD PlayersPrintersFax MachinesScannersCell PhonesMP3 PlayersLaptopsEtc.

Electronic Waste is Hazardous

When you look at a computer or cell phone, it doesn’t seem to be dangerous. Typically, only the outer casing is visible, but it’s what’s inside that poses a threat to the environment, people and animals. Electronic products are jam-packed with heavy metals, semi-metals and various chemical compounds that can leak into soil and become hazardous. Things like lead, mercury, copper, barium, nickel and even arsenic are all present within a variety of electronic products. As they’re being thrown away or placed in the landfills, the products often break which can expose the inner workings and those dangerous chemicals and metals.

These metals and chemicals may not pose much of a risk in very small doses, because as they are taken in by the body, it works to get rid of them. However, if they are taken in faster than the body can dispose of them, they can be a big risk. Many of these chemicals and metals are known causes of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, impaired cognitive function, damaged organs and more.

Discard Rate of Electronics Items Item Discard/replace rate

Mobile telephone 1 to 3 years

PC Every 2 years

Camera 3 to 5 years

Television 10-15 years

Refrigerator 10-15 years

Washing Machine 10-15 years

IT accessories Very fast

Components Constituents Affected body parts

Printed circuit boards Lead and cadmium Nervous system, kidney, lever

Motherboards Berillium Lungs, skin

Cathode ray tubes (CRTs)

Lead oxide, barium and cadmium

Heart, lever, muscles

Switches and flat-screen monitors

Mercury Brain, skin

Computer batteries Cadmium Kidney, lever

Cable insulation/coating

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Immune system

Plastic housing Bromine Endocrine

E-Waste Toxins and Affected Body Parts

Components of e-waste management

The major components of e-waste management are:

1. e-waste collection, sorting and transportation

2. e-waste recycling; it involves dismantling, recovery of valuable resource, sale of dismantled parts and export of processed waste for precious metal recovery .The stakeholders, i.e., the people who can help in overcoming the challenges posed by e-waste, are:

1. Manufacturers2. Users3. Recyclers4. Policy makers

Responsibly Disposing of E-Waste

When you dispose of your electronic waste responsibly, you can help remedy this dangerous situation. Our company can pick up your old electronics and recycle them, preventing them from being dumped in a landfill and adding to the mounting problem of electronic waste.Safely Recycle Old Computers and Gadgets ---

1 Check out manufacturer give-back programs

Increasingly, equipment manufacturers, such as HP and Dell, will agree to take back your old devices when you make a new purchase. The Computer Take Back Campaign, a coalition and web site that put pressure on computer and electronics manufacturers to start recycling their old products, has a list of these manufacturer recycling programs.

2 Donate your old devices

A growing number of organizations accept old computers that are still functioning for donation to charities. The EPA’s web site lists a variety of groups that accept donated computers, including My Green Electronics, which is run by the Consumer Electronics Association. Also check out TechSoup, run by CompuMentor, a nonprofit technology assistance agency, where nonprofits can access donated and discounted technology products.

3 Recycle the right way

There are plenty of groups that claim to do computer and cell phone recycling these days. But in a recent report, the Basel Action Network, a nonprofit environmental organization, found that many old electronics from the U.S. were ending up in places such as China and Nigeria, where they weren’t being recycled at all.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• In order to lessen the amount of e-waste being

produced, individuals can do many things:

1. Keep your old electronics longer instead of replacing

them.2. If discarding old electronics, be sure to recycle them at a

trusted recycling center. 3. Purchase efficient electronics that do not contain

hazardous materials such as mercury and lead.

Bibliography

Nakagawa, Layne. "TOXIC TRADE: THE REAL COST OF ELECTRONICS WASTE EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES." Http://earthtrends.wri.org/. World Resources Institute,

To get the best solutions, you can contact Exigo Business Solutions, a leading company or visit their website @ http://exigorecycling.com/ .

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