Electric waste like global time bomb

Electronic waste can cause chemicals and heavy metals to leak into the air, soil, water and food, likened to a time bomb for the life of the earth.

"I can call it a global time bomb , " said Professor Ming Wong, director of the Croucher Research Institute for Environmental Science at Hong Kong Baptist University, speaking at the 2013 CleanUp conference. . "There is a need to act now to prevent toxic electronic waste from expanding on the earth."

There are about 50 million tons of human e-waste generated every year and only a small fraction of them are safely treated. This is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, increasing by 3-5% per year of short life cycles of electronic devices and computers (an average of 2-6 years).

Electronic waste.(Photo: earthtechling)

"Toxic chemicals generated during the incineration of e-waste include PCDD, PBDEs, PAHs, PCBs, heavy metals, which lead to air, soil, water and food pollution and deep impacts. Some chemicals accumulate in fish, then traded locally and worldwide, science has demonstrated the risk of toxic chemicals transmitted to the next generation, when The baby is still in the womb or receiving breast milk , " ABC quoted Wong as saying.

"In some countries, the disposal of e-waste in landfills creates a lot of wastewater leaked with high concentrations of flame retardant chemicals and heavy metals. They spread through soil and groundwater, then directly affect people ".

"Currently, many developed countries often send e-waste to developing countries in Asia and Africa for recycling, taking advantage of cheaper labor costs and lower environmental regulations at these countries, " he added.

Professor Ming Wong said that manufacturers need to design products so they can be dismantled into many parts for reuse, protect valuable resources and reduce e-waste. Countries must be responsible for their own e-waste, limiting and preventing the export of e-waste to other countries.

But the bigger problem is consumption."We cannot continue to use electronic devices today, which is unsustainable," said Dr. Mariann Lloyd-Smith from Australia's National Research Network.

She also said that the moves to approach the international chemical management strategy (SAICM) will make research companies increase the lifespan of computers and improve the design so that they can be re-developed. sustainable development.