Electronic Waste

Electronic Waste : A growing concern In today's Environment

Introduction:

In the current scenario, Electronic gadgets are meant to make our lives happier and simpler, Hence the use of electronic devices is increasing rapidly in numbers. Because of this large volume the quantity of electronic devices that are disposed of is also growing rapidly throughout the world. Disposing of electronic gadgets puts the public in great danger as most countries do not dispose of their e-waste properly and because of this the natural environment is affected. 

The composition of e-waste is very diverse and differs in products across different categories. It contains more than 1000 different substances, which fall under ‘hazardous’ and ‘non-hazardous’ categories. 

Broadly, it consists of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics, glass, wood and plywood, printed circuit boards (PCB), concrete and ceramics, rubber and other items. Iron and steel constitute about 50% of the E-waste followed by plastics (21%), non-ferrous metals (13%) and other constituents. Non-ferrous metals consist of metals like copper (Cu), aluminium (Al) and precious metals, e.g. silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum, palladium, etc. 

The presence of elements like lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium and hexavalent chromium and flame retardants beyond threshold quantities of e-waste classifies them as hazardous waste.

Because of unregulated and improper disposal of these electronics the following issues arise

  1. When e-waste is warmed up, toxic chemicals are released into the air damaging the atmosphere. The damage to the atmosphere is one of the biggest environmental impacts from e-waste.
  2. When electronic waste is thrown away in landfills their toxic materials seep into groundwater, affecting both land and sea animals. This can also affect the health of the people in the developing countries where most of the electronic waste is dumped.
  3. Specifically Lead, if released into the environment can cause damage to human blood, kidneys, as well as central and peripheral nervous systems.

Many countries believe in recycling of the product that can’t be easily disposed. Each country’s National Environmental Management department are taking steps for ensuring this and recommend the reuse of electronic parts to reduce e-waste impact on the natural environment.

“Think! If we are surviving with a painful life. That life which is full of suffocation? Are we ready for this kind of an environment and giving the same to our future? “

So now processing further we are clear that why Electronic Waste is harmful:

Refurbished electronics 

As we are high-tech people we get attracted by the new gadget that launches in the market.  An electronics-based company should look forward to this if they are launching any electronic gadgets. They should start a campaign in exchange for an old to a new gadget. Many companies are following this process of recycling. These old products are restored to their original condition and made available as refurbished products.

The profit of using refurbished electronics:

  • It minimizes the generation of dangerous waste.
  • Dispose of dangers and risks involving wastes within the country of generation effectively in an environmentally sound manner.
  • Establish enhanced controls on exports and imports of hazardous waste.

Refurbished Desktops/Laptops 

 When we choose to recycle rather than throw out their old computer, they help to limit the number of resources that it requires to produce new electronic items. This is because there are many components on old computers that can be reused. There are disadvantages of purchasing refurbished laptops and computers, one of the most essential things that you need to check is the motherboard. You can also check the screen while purchasing refurbished laptops and computers. Refurbished laptops and computers are generally cheaper, you may get the warranty and best deal on them. By keeping customer satisfaction in mind, refurbished stores provide the best and high-performance laptops, computers at the lowest prices.

Refurbished Smartphones 

Cell phones contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. With recycling, these dangerous materials are recycled and reused without polluting the environment. Few advantages that we get if we use refurbished Smartphone:

- The purchasing cost will be low if we purchase

- Refurbished smartphones are repaired and made free of all faults that a phone might have.

- Many industries give a warranty on refurbished smartphones that make it easier to buy the phones with good deals. 

Refurbished Led TV

Buying a refurbished TV can be a tempting proposition. It’s going to be cheaper than buying brand new. Some points need to know:

-     Cost Saving: The main benefit of buying refurbished electronics is the cost. Their price is much lower than the new ones. 

-     Certified testing: in this the electronics undergo certified testing which is either carried out by the manufacturer or the refurbishing expert.

-     Reliable: The manufacturers who resell these items, check all the defects and damage before selling them.

-     Eco – Friendly: Buying refurbished instead of dumping in landfills can bring a second life to the device. This leaves a positive impact on th environment and saves it from getting polluted through the harmful penetration of the hazardous elements into the atmosphere.

All refurbished products are verified in working order. There is a slight difference between recycling and refurbishing as some former materials are extracted. Refurbishing is better for the environment because even effective recycling processes produce some waste. Many materials cannot be recycled indefinitely, eventually much electronic waste becomes completely useless to recyclers. On the other hand, refurbishing is effective because working components can be reused in new products almost indefinitely.

Advantage of refurbishing Electronic waste can take the place of new ones without compromising the quality of newly manufactured electronics. The public loves technology when they get a good quality of products at a cheaper rate when they buy refurbished products instead of new electronic products. 

There are few companies that sell refurbished products:

  • 2GUD
  • Budli
  • Gorefurbo
  • Tech yoga

These are the companies who believe that we should respect nature and for the bright future of the citizens.

If you view the graph, you can see that how Refurbished industries are taking place: