E-Waste

Alissa, Myranda, Kethra

What is e-waste ?E waste is the amount of electronic products that are thrown away

after they have been used to their extent

This is one of the fastest growing environmental problems worldwide

About 3 million tonnes of common e waste is thrown away in the United States alone

Canada generates 140’000 tonnes a year

It’s energy efficient to rebuild old

computers, but only about 2%

of PCs ever find their way to a second userD

id y

ou k

now

:

Examples:

Why the waste ?

The main reasons:

• Growing number of upgrades

• Lack of fashion or style in a specific period of time

• Expiration of their ‘useful-life’

Cell phones and computers are the biggest problem because they are replaced most often

Where does it all go?

Sent to countries such as China, Kenya and India

Environment standards and working conditions make processing e waste dangerously hazardous to these countries

When sorted properly, e waste is a valuable source of material

Major contributor of toxins and carcinogens if not dealt with in a specific way

What’s the big deal?

Many parts of electronics contain materials that are considered hazardous (depending on their condition)

Most electronics contain dangerous materials such as lead, phosphorus, cadmium, barium and mercury

When these items are dumped into landfills, these may be released

E waste and IndiaBangalore, India, generates around 8000 tonnes of computer

waste ANNUALLY (that’s the same weight as 1000 elephants!)

This number was steadily increasing

E-Parisaraa is an eco-friendly unit that makes full use of E-waste

One of their methods includes extending the lives of fluorescent tube lights by more than 2000 hours

E waste and Toronto Toronto has done its part by collecting electronics

and reducing landfill diversions by 100%

Recovers many materials such as steel, glass, aluminum and plastic

Assistance with special waste collecting days

What is Ontario doing?The “blue box program” was approved by the minister on December

22, 2003 and commenced on February 1, 2004

The recycling program began to be encouraged upon those who were disposing of their electronics

Ontario has made a large impact on helping the environment by using the recycling system

In six years, there has been 5,300,000 tonnes of waste from landfills diverted which is equivalent to 3,595,230 pickup trucks on waste

Where does this waste get sent?

In C

anada :

Participates in the Basel convention, however companies still send their waste illegally because it is 10 times cheaper

In 2006, 50 containers containing 500,000 kg of e-waste destined for China and Hong Kong in the Port of Vancouver was discovered

• The 27 companies involved were fined $2,000 apiece

Rest

of

the w

orl

d:

Basel Convention: international treaty that addresses e-waste

• slow transfer of waste, however there is no international enforcement

Places like China, Kenya and India- this creates jobs, 150,000 people in Guiyu, China alone are employed in the E-waste industry

DYK: About 25 million TVs are

taken out of service

annually

Is this healthy?D

irect

Im

pact

s

Filter dust generated when taking apart electronics

Noise emissions during manual and mechanical dismantling of waste (conveyor belts, hammer)

Deviations from job safety standards

Ind

irect

Im

pact

s

Air pollution

Emissions due to transportation of wastes

Contamination of water and soil near landfills

What does it do to us?Even small amounts, these materials can contaminate soil and

drinking water

A threat to human and environmental health is the mountains of waste piling up in landfills

Affects living environment, Guiyu, China’s rivers are filled with e-waste, contaminating fresh water for the inhabitants

DYK: the average lifespan of computers in developed countries

has dropped from 6 years (1997) to just

two years (2005)

Almost 60

elements on the

periodic table

are found in e-

waste, here are

a few:

Harmful Elements

CFC-Chloroflourocarbons

PCB-polychlorinated biphenylsTBBA-tetrabromo-bisphenol-A

PBB-polybrominated biphenyls

PBDE-polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Dioxins and Furans- 75 different types of dioxins, 135 related compounds (furans)

PVC- polyvinyl chloride

BFR’s – brominated flame retardants

Solutions

Reduce:by obtaining your items and using good Maintenance

Reuse:perfectly good electronicsby donating or selling youritem to someone who can use itRecycle:

those parts of an item that cannot be repaired