E-Waste is the term used to describe refers to electronics such as computers, phones, radios,

refrigerators, and other devices or appliances that have been discarded. Either these products reached
the end of their functional life-cycle prior to disposal or they were simply discarded for newer models.
Recent years have witnessed a drastic increase in the amount of e-waste. This has become a pressing
problem for many countries. In this essay I will talk about e-waste that is increasingly affecting the
environment\

E-Waste contains both valuable as well as hazardous materials which require special handling and
recycling methods. It contains ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastic, glass, wood and plywood, printed
circuit boards, concrete, ceramics, rubber and another items. Iron and steel constitute about 50% of the
waste, followed by plastic (21%), non-ferrous metal (13%) and other constituents.

Due to rapid advances in technology electronic appliances become obsolete quickly. This coupled with
explosive sales in consumer electronics, means that more products are being disposed of, even if they
still work. As an example, In the USA, about 400 million units per year of consumer electronics are
scrapped, according to recycling industry experts. Recycling e-waste is not like recycling cardboard.
These products are not easy to recycle and they are not designed for recycling.

The matter of the fact is that discarded electronics are managed badly and most e-waste still goes in the
landfill in spite of hazardous, sometimes radioactive, materials like lead, plastic, chromium, mercury,
beryllium, cadmium and acids. Moreover, all around the world, the quantity of electrical and electronic
waste generated each year has assumed alarming proportions. Thus, e-waste has become a threat to
the environment.

However, there are ways to deal with this rising issue. Effective e-waste management skills and
techniques should be developed and implemented. Producers can contribute their share of work by
taking the responsibility of e-waste management. They should reuse the parts as it would be more than
appropriate since it is already their field and it would be a profitable business for them. Making
consumers more aware of the ill-effects of improper handling and disposal would also be beneficial. In
fact, some companies are already getting a head start by placing especially dedicated e-bins.

To sum up, e-waste management has become the need of the hour. I believe that governments and
manufacturing companies should give a priority to this issue.