{"id":1,"date":"2021-11-27T11:03:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-27T11:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/recyclearth.in\/blog\/?p=1"},"modified":"2023-08-12T10:56:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-12T10:56:00","slug":"what-is-e-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.recyclearth.in\/blog\/what-is-e-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"What is E-waste and its dangers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Any unusable electronic or electrical equipment\/components\/parts\/spares is E-waste. Technological evolution makes electronic and electrical products outdated within a few years of their launch. For example, mobile phones are outdated every 2-3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-waste can be reused, refurbished or recycled based on the condition of the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USA, China and India occupy the top 3 positions as the largest generators of E-waste in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"e-waste-growth
Source: Statista<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How is E-waste currently being disposed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

E-waste is either sent to the landfills or is purchased by scrap merchants for salvaging some metals out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s understand the harm both these methods cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landfills in themselves are dangerous to the people working and living in and around the landfills. Burning of the waste or by certain elements coming in contact with the environment results in the release of harmful gases and compounds. The area around the landfills also starts losing its fertility and becomes barren in due course of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scrap merchants salvage precious metals from E-waste in a highly informal and dangerous way. The waste is subjected to acid bath or burning for salvaging the precious metals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Why proper E-waste disposal is the need of the hour? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any electronic device that is in its end-of-life stage can either be exchanged or sold to second hand buyers. Obsolete electronic and electrical products bought by scrap merchants end up in a heap along with other non-E-waste items in the yard of the merchant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any electronic or electrical device has about 25 elements present in various quantities in them. Improper disposal of E-waste would lead to these elements coming in contact with the environment resulting in undesirable outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health hazards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of the elements present in these devices have the tendency of having long lasting and potentially fatal side-effects. Improper E-waste disposal results in these health issues as mentioned below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n