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Complexity of E-Waste and its Management Challenges in Developing Countries – A Review
Summary
This review examined the growing volume and management challenges of electronic waste in developing countries, covering health and environmental risks from informal e-waste recycling including exposure to lead, mercury, cadmium, and flame retardants. The authors identified weak regulatory frameworks and lack of formal recycling infrastructure as the primary barriers to safe e-waste management.
The production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that include computers, mobile phones, modems, printers, refrigerators, and air conditioning units has been growing rapidly stimulated by technological advances, increased product affordability, and short product lifespans. However, this growth has not been matched by recognition of the dangers to health and the environment from disposal of the waste EEE (e-waste) especially in developing countries. Globally, the annual generation of e-waste is in the range 20 -50 million metric tons, which, following the current trend can increase to over 120 million metric tons by year 2050. This paper reviews the nature, complexity and health and environmental impacts of the e-waste, its global scale, and the alternative technologies for its management. However, the focus is on developing countries, which import disproportionately large quantities of used and obsolete EEE for reuse and recycling but lack effective legislation, skills and infrastructure for management of the waste. As a result, e-waste handlers and recyclers use crude methods for recycling oblivious of the inherent dangers of heavy metals and organic substances in the waste. While the exporting of EEE to developing countries for reuse extends their useful life, informal recycling and final disposal through open dumping, burning and burial poses danger to human health and the environment. Electronic products contain many materials requiring special end-of-life handling; mainly, lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, and plastics that are capable of releasing, dioxins and furans among other compounds. Consequently, successful management of the e-waste in the developing countries will require institution of guiding framework for end of life management such as the extended producer responsibility, and product take back. Ultimately, the key to successful e-waste management is the development of formal recycling facilities. Centralized collection points where economies of scale will attract investment for facilities for dismantling and disassembling of component for recycling and for disposal of toxic components are recommended.
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