E-Waste/Recycling Basel Action Network
In this modern era, going green is the main concern of companies and thus a stance for competition for the majority. However, this video highlights key issues responsible for e-waste turmoil and, ironically, there hasn’t still been any profound law in some countries forbidding the way it is recycled.
Environmentalists vehemently express that quite a number of electronic goods are still made with hazardous material which during recycling could pave way to health issues partly due to them being disposed carelessly. An example of this is ‘lead’ and ‘mercury’ which are responsible for causing abnormalities while the main sufferers are children or even plastic for that matter which is causes no less trouble.
Moreover, companies try to seek electronic recyclers who might not be proper recyclers and can result in endangering their surroundings. For instance, bids often result in recyclable material being taken to Asia and Africa. In China alone, some of the villages are a hub of e-waste and, therefore, proper human health is questionable. Piles of such e-waste has been polluting the air and nearby rivers, thus, making them over two thousand times more dangerous than the expected threshold level. People eventually, extract chips exposing themselves to great vulnerability and aim for extracts of gold. Similarly, in Nigeria used computers exported are mostly futile as the majority of them are not in working condition, hence, the result is e-waste recycling.
On the other hand, it has an adverse effect on developed world companies in the form of confidential data not wiped out when sending computers for recycling or donating. Hard disks often include confidential emails and other important company data.
E-waste recycling is a major issue because of which The Basel Treaty in Switzerland was signed in 1989 gathering quite a number of European countries. It forbade the shipment of e-waste to developing countries, thereby, taking a stand to protect them. However, Canada and USA are the only developed countries that have not made much an effort to support this cause. It is now a matter of gathering companies and consumers urging them to act responsibility and paving way for the step to go green.
Where Does E-waste End Up
Developing countries like India seek opportunities in e-waste recycling which happens to be the bread and butter for many. While burning chips and electronic computer cards, the fumes given off would hurt eyes and create irritation, however, with the span of time workers get accustomed to the work gaining momentum and resulting in a growing market in India.
While comparing the rate, it would cost only $2 in India to recycle a computer as opposed to $20 in USA, thus, the cost effective nature of such a business is getting the country huge prospects.
Greenpeace scientist, Dr. Kevin Brigdon has had the opportunity of researching on various samples collected from India and China where recycling takes place. He has thus been able to achieve astounding results which reveal health issues as horrendous as possible.
Therefore, high levels of heavy metals and organic chemicals such as cadmium and lead result in affecting the growing nervous system thereby even undermining the I.Q of children, while kidneys are also not spared. Moreover, the workers and people of the surrounding vicinity suffer from hormonal imbalances as well which as a whole adds up to more adverse effects in the long run.
Cables and boards which are dipped in acid for the pursuit of metals are completely stripped of all traces of items that could result in money, while other means include the burning of PVC to extract copper. Unfortunately, the residue and left over acid are then dumped into rivers and sewers nearby thus creating a threat for many other people.
For the quest of having cheap labour, e-waste gets dumped in from Middle East, Europe, USA and other parts of Asia. As this issue is being raised, it is no doubt the duty of manufacturers to now produce electronic goods that are environment friendly and not as obnoxious for recyclers.
It is still argued that various products are still not separated as they should be (Harrison & Hester 2009). Though ten individual categories of electronic waste have been defined, uncertainty still prevails as to what stage LCD’s (Liquid Crystal Displays) and Circuit Boards should be removed from the waste stream.
References
Anonymous. (2008). Basel Action Network E-Waste Film. Responsible E-Waste Recycling. Web.
Greenpeace International. (2008). Where does E-Waste end up? Web.
Harrison, R. M & Hester, R. E (2009). Electronic Waste Management. RSC Publishing. 6 – 10.