E-waste management is a major challenge that we are facing today.
Unlike other types of waste material, electronic waste is way more dangerous for the environment and human health as it contains many harmful elements and toxic chemicals.
Even if properly buried or disposed of in landfills, electronic scrap can still create a lot of damage by sinking through the soil and contaminating the water down below through a process called leaching.
Sadly, the amount of electronic waste being thrown away is only increasing as we speak. That is due to the wide range of electrical and electronic products that are being launched every day.
To put that in perspective, over 50 million metric tonnes of electronic waste is generated every year. Out of which, just (17%) gets collected and recycled for further use.
Why is there so much e-waste?
Well, the reason for such an enormous amount of e-waste, as I said, is a large number of electronics and electrical devices being used every day.
From children’s toys to family entertainment, home appliances to office equipment, and utility gadgets to communication devices, everything revolves around some or other form of the electronic component.
As such, a large number of broken, unwanted, and end-of-life (EOL) products end up being discarded or thrown away.
On top of that, the lifespans of modern devices are getting shorter day by day. And the list of e-waste items is longer and longer posing serious threats to the health of our planet.
Amidst this growing risk, it’s important to find a viable solution to manage e-waste as early as possible.
Why e-waste management is important?
E-waste management is important for several reasons.
For starters, without one we won’t be able to stop toxic chemicals from spreading out into the environment.
Secondly, shipping it to less privileged countries in Asia and Africa is only going to impact the populations of those regions, which isn’t as friendly of an option.
There are a lot of other factors that should be taken into consideration in order to come up with a sustainable option to manage electronic scrap.
Fortunately, there is one, better known as recycling!
Benefits of recycling when it comes to electronic waste
1. Less piling-up of e-waste in landfills
Electronic waste makes up for a large portion of trash that ends up in landfills.
But since they contain more toxic substances than any other type of universal waste, it can be a problem for the landfill space itself.
Materials such as chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead, etc, which are in abundance in electronic components can leach into the soil and contaminate everything around including the very fresh groundwater below. Gradually, it can spoil the very richness of the soil in nearby places thus affecting the overall quality of the food crops.
To avoid this vicious cycle, it’s important to recycle as much as we can. Besides, most electronic devices contain materials that are 100% recyclable.
2. Easy recovery of valuable materials
Recycling electronic materials will not only help in preserving the environment but also in saving a lot of space in landfills.
All the while making it easy to reclaim the vast amount of precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum that are lost in the first place.
FYI, global e-waste is believed to hold approx $60 billion worth of raw materials in gold, palladium, silver, and copper.
By practicing recycling, you can quickly sort, separate, and recover these valuable metals without digging or buying them all over again.
3. Decrease in the demand for new raw materials
By recovering these old expensive materials firsthand, you will be able to reduce the need for new raw materials as well.
The latter is the more expensive method as it includes the cost of extraction, transportation, cleaning, processing, and designing of raw materials into final products.
Besides, activities such as these need a large amount of energy and non-renewable resources while causing a lot of heat and air pollution.
Also Read: Why Environmental Education Is Important In School?
4. Reduction in carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions
Speaking of which, recycling can also help reduce a lot of carbon load from the environment especially when climate change has become so apparent and real.
Since recycling does not need as much energy and resources as the manufacturing of new or virgin material does, it does not release a lot of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases either.
On the contrary, it’s an eco-friendly way of procuring, refurbishing, and reusing old materials to make brand-new products that are not at the expense of ignoring the environment.
5. Prevention of data theft
Aside from being positive for the environment, recycling your e-waste can help big time in securing your personal and confidential data.
When not disposed of properly or discarded casually, electronic gadgets can sometimes fall into the wrong hands thus compromising your important identity and financial information.
Therefore, as important as it is to buy a product from a credible source, it is equally important to dispose off or recycle them through a professional expert.
6. Saves time and money
The most practical benefit of using recycling as a viable solution to electronic waste is the lack of time and money it takes.
As opposed to manufacturing a new line of products, recycling and refurbishing an old product takes way less time and effort.
And since you’d already have the essential raw materials at hand, there’d be no need to start from scratch. Meaning, you can save a lot of unnecessary expenditure in procuring and manufacturing.
Conclusion
The role of e-waste management is crucial for the health of the environment and humans as a whole.
It is for this very reason that more and more countries are taking significant initiatives in reducing the overall impact of electronic waste on nature.
Several companies that are conscious of their CSR or corporate social responsibility are also investing heavily in coming up with innovative and sustainable ways to manage e-waste.
In the face of this growing concern, it’s up to each and every one of us to think twice before throwing away our next gadget that has gone bad directly into the garbage.
The better option is to donate it to a charity or have it recycled.
Ravi Ranjan