Table 1.

Title of the Issue: E-pollutants and E-waste

Title of the Article: E-waste hazard: The impending challenge

Source:
Violet N. Pinto. E-waste hazard: The impending challenge. (2008, August). Retrieved
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2796756/

Author: Violet N. Pinto

Summary Narrative:
Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-
waste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that
can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled
properly. E-waste broadly covers waste from all electronic and electrical appliances and
comprises of items such as computers, mobile phones, digital music recorders/players,
refrigerators, washing machines, televisions (TVs) and many other household consumer
items. E-waste has been categorized into three main categories, i.e., Large Household
Appliances, IT and Telecom and Consumer Equipment. Refrigerator and washing
machine represent large household appliances; PC, monitor and laptop represent IT and
Telecom, while TV represents Consumer Equipment. E-waste contains more than 1000
different substances, which fall under ‘hazardous’ and ‘non-hazardous’ categories.
In India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the
generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from
developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate infrastructure and
procedures for its disposal and recycling. The total e-waste generation in India is
approximately 1,46,000 tonnes[7–9] to 3.3 lakh tonnes a year and is expected to touch
4.7 lakh tonnes by 2011. ‘The projected growth for e-waste generation for India is about
34% year on year’ says Sinha (Associate Director of Toxics Link). The increasing ‘market
penetration’ in the developing countries, ‘replacement market’ in the developed
countries and ‘high obsolescence rate’ make e-waste one of the fastest waste streams.
This new kind of waste is posing a serious challenge in disposal and recycling to
both developed and developing countries and this has made e-waste management an
issue of environment and health concern. Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE’s) or
e-waste are made of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that
have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly.
Lead exerts toxic effects on various systems in the body, Mercury causes damage to the
genitourinary system (tubular dysfunction), the central and peripheral nervous systems
as well as the fetus, Cadmium which is a potentially long-term cumulative poison and
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) wherein it affects lung, skin and bladder. The
electronic and electrical goods are largely classified under three major heads, as: ‘white
goods,’ comprising of household appliances like air conditioners, dishwashers,
refrigerators and washing machines; ‘brown goods,’ comprising of TVs, camcorders,
cameras, etc.; ‘grey goods,’ like computers, printers, fax machines, scanners, etc. The grey
goods are comparatively more complex to recycle due to their toxic composition.
Due to increasing issue and progressive problem on e-waste, the need of urgent
approach to the e-waste hazard such as, by technical and policy-level interventions,
implementation and capacity building and increase in public awareness in which this can
convert this challenge/problem into an opportunity to show the world that India or all of
us are ready to deal with future problems relating e-pollutants and e-waste.

What lesson have you learned?

The lessons that we learned are, what E-waste is all about and how this serious issue
pose or making both human and the environment in threat or in danger. We came to
realize also how serious this issue is, how it can affect the environment as well as to how
bad it can bring to the human health and how people don’t take this issue as important as
to other issues. Also, the need of proper disposal of e-waste, plans/recommendations
regarding e-waste management that needs to be taken in action and how other country
specifically India, is taking the move or the initiative to do actions relating e-pollutants
and e-waste.

What suggestions can you offer?

Minimizing e-waste not only helps in conserving resources but also it reduces the
amount of energy we take from the earth. So, as a college student, we could suggest other
people to take care of their electronics properly in order to extend the life of it thus they
don’t need to buy often new ones and we could raise awareness through social media
that if they will going to buy new electronics, look and buy for environmentally friendly
electronics.

Submitted by: Araneta, Jannelle

Dela Cruz, Tito Jr.
Paragas, Xiariz Jade
Quirante, Mariel
Suarez, Cristelle
Ventura, Rose Ann
(BEED II)