The disposal of electronics is a growing problem because electronic equipment frequently contains hazardous substances. Help Reduce E-wastes!

1. Mission: Help Reduce E-wastes!
If the hottest question nowadays is formed by the words, “Do you own the latest gizmo
available today” then we guess the next question automatically patterns itself to the
question, “How often do you upgrade or replace your electronics?”
It‟s a little bit funny (and alarming, at the same time!) that lots of electronics consumers
almost never second-guess their decision of buying the „hippest and freshest‟
technology. After all, this is the kind of behavior manufacturing companies want from
their target markets- people driven by their impulse, especially at the sight of the newly
released iPad, Xperia Sola, or the MacBook Wheel.
While our ordinate desire for electronics grows at an astonishing speed, the heap of
electronic wastes produced worldwide rises to an incredibly high altitude.
What are e-wastes?
E-waste is any refuse created by discarded electronic devices and components as well as
substances involved in their manufacture or use. The disposal of electronics is a growing
problem because electronic equipment frequently contains hazardous substances.
[techtarget.com]

2. Some examples are:
 Computers and Accessories (Monitors,
 Home Appliances (TV, Oven, Refrigerator, Air conditioners and etc.)
 Handheld devices (cellphones, smartphones, game consoles)
 TabletPCs
And what exactly happens to these old and battered gizmos? The statistics on E-wastes
will make you bolt in fear and shock [moneycrashers.com]:
 In the U.S. alone, we throw more than 100 million cellphones in the trash every
year.
 20 million TVs are tossed in the trash in the U.S. every year.
 According to Wirefly.org, the average cellphone life is approximately 18 months.
 Records from the Environmental Protection Agency show that over 112,000
computers are disposed of on a daily basis. In the U.S. alone, the figures translate to
41.1 million desktops and laptops discarded per year.
 According to the UN Environment Programme, the worldwide total for e-waste could
be 50 million tons per year.
 ONLY 13% of global e-waste is disposed of and recycled accordingly.
The volume of e-wastes has drastically grown. And it continues to grow everyday!!!
So where do the rest earn their place?
Mostly in the landfills, but how many of those landfills can still hold up under the
crumbling volume of e-waste that came, comes, and will come?
What‟s so bad about e-wastes?

3. To HUMANS
Though e-wastes strike no similarities with the icky
and gooey stuff we normally call WASTE, they can also be potential sources of disasters
and diseases. For the record, e-wastes from equipment include harmful elements and
chemicals like—
1. Lead- high exposure can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, and death
2. Cadmium- accidental intake can lead to bone and respiratory tract disorders
3. Beryllium- high exposure can lead to pulmonary diseases
4. Mercury- ingestion can lead to inflammation of the mouth, kidney, and the
respiratory tract.
5. Brominated flame retardants- intake from any route of exposure (dermal, inhalation,
ingestion) can lead to reproductive disorders, diabetes thyroid homeostasis and
others.
TO EARTH
Similar to humans as to the environment, e-wastes can inflict a largely negative impact
on our surroundings, biological ecosystems, and to the whole world.
And If the enormous piling up of e-waste isn‟t reduced,…
It can lead to a massive chain reaction of environmental problems and concerns.
1. Biological pollutants
2. Higher Carbon Footprint - defined as “the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.
3. Resource Depletion - is an economic term referring to the exhaustion of raw
materials within a region.

4. 4. Land degradation - is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is
affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the
land.
5. Climate Change - is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of
weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years.
6. Occurrence of Natural Disasters
Now, what?
Turning Concerns into Actions
Of course, there is always a solution to a problem. No
matter how colossal and widespread the issue of e-waste is, solving it doesn‟t need an
ingenious plan, only the collective efforts of the people and the government.
Yes! Anyone can help in his own little way!
 Purchase „green‟ electronics
 Donate old electronics to charitable institutions and non-profit agencies
 Keep a „caring‟ attitude to your electronics to prolong its life
 Sell your used electronics to
cashforelectronics.info, gazelle,nextworth, cashforsmartphones
References:
 http://www.ewastecenter.com/e-waste-facts/
 http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Top_30_Environmental_Concerns