ELECTRONIC WASTE

PRESENTATION
OUTLINE
Background
Problems
Management and disposal
options
The governments
responsibilities

BACKGROUND
There is no generally accepted
definition of e-waste
Unwanted, obsolete or unusable
electronic products such as
computers, computer
peripherals,televisions,VCRs,DVD
Players, stereo equipment, hand
cell phones are commonly referred
to as electronic waste

Problems
Management and disposal of e-waste has
become a serious problem among states
nationwide, WHY?
The problem of electronic waste (e-waste) is
growing at an unsustainable rate.
E-waste is now the fastest growing, and most
toxic, component of municipal garbage.
Local governments are facing huge costs to
handle e-waste, and even greater costs if
they do not capture this toxic stream and
handle it in an appropriate manner.

Mobile phones; facts

Production today- 23 phones/sec

Sales 2003- 515 million
Sales 2004- 665 million
Sales 2005- 870 million
Subscribers-1.9 billion in 2005
Subscribers- 2.6 billion in 2009
Lifespan- 0.5- 1.5 (with 1st user)
(estimates from the Basel
convention based study 2006)

E-waste accumulation in
China

1.It is taking up valuable

landfill space
A study by the USA showed that 1-2% of
municipal waste is made up of e-waste
A further research estimates the
growing of e-waste at 3 times the rate
of other waste streams.
It is also estimated that between 1997
and 2007,500 million computers would
become obsolete

2.e-waste contains
hazardous material
The leaching of heavy material
from e-waste may a pose a
potential long term human health
and environmental impacts
ground Water especially is more
likely to be polluted (note, more
half the country reliant on ground
water resources)

Of particular concern is
Lead in e-waste

Lead is a toxic substances which

may cause lead poisoning and
can be especially harmful young
children.
A typical 17-inch computer
monitor contains approximately
2.2 pounds of lead
the 500 million computers that
will become obsolete between
1997 and 2007 will contain nearly
1.6 billion pounds of lead

Cathode ray tubes

Much of the focus of managing ewaste revolves around Cathode
Ray Tubes-which converts an
electronic signal into a visual
image. Computer
monitors,televisions,camcorders
and other electronic devices
contain CRT.
Atypical CRT contains between 2
and 5 pounds of lead.

Other problems
Illegal exporting especially to
Asia
Uncontrolled burning and
disposal are causing env
problems
The toxicity of some of the
substance, eg mercury,cadmium
may also pose an environmental
and health challenge

recycle
Make use of take back
programs
Through recycling units are
either reused or dismantled for
recycling.
The silver,gold,lead and other
heavy metal are recyclable

dispose
The least preferred option is to
landfill electronic waste
This should only come as a last
option but care to consult with
state regulations on disposal of
any hazardous waste

Benefits of reuse (social

and env)
Diminished demand for new products and
their commensurate requirement for virgin
raw material
There is lessened need for water and
energy for the associated manufacturing
Less packaging per unit
Availability of tech to wider swaths of
society due to greater affordability of
products
Saved landfill space

challenges
When materials cannot or will
not be used, conventional
recycling or disposal via landfill
will follow
The complexity of the items to
be disposed of
cost of env sound recycling
systems

Each one of us has a

role to play!
Need for a e-waste policy and legislation
Encourage and facilitate organized
recycling systems
Should subsidies recycling and disposal
industries
Collect fee from
manufactured/consumers for the
disposal of toxic material
Incentive schemes for garbage
collectors and general public for
collecting and handling over e-waste
Awareness programme on e-waste for
school children and general public

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION