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Title of the Issue: e-pollutants from e-waste

Title of the article: E-waste: A Challenge For Sustainable Development

Source: Md. Sahadat Hossain, Sulala M.Z.F. Al-Hamadani, and Md. Toufiqur Rahman (2015) E-
waste: A Challenge for Sustainable Development. Journal of Health and Pollution: December
2015, Vol. 5, No. 9, pp. 3-11.

Author(s): Md. Sahadat Hossain1, Sulala M.Z.F. Al-Hamadani, Md. Toufiqur Rahman

Summary Narrative: Total and per capita global e-waste generation has been increased along
with socio-economic development. These products present a significant global challenge due to
the hazardous chemicals they contain, their highly technical recycling requirements and the
high overhead and costs of environmentally sound management, as well as their adverse
impacts to human health. Although high-income countries are the main sources of this waste,
low-income countries are experiencing an increase in e-waste due to the shifting process of
both recently produced and used electric and electronic equipment (UEEE), as well as cheap
management overhead costs. Consequently, they bear the greatest burden of adverse health
hazards and ecosystem degradation, prolonging their achievement of sustainable development
goals.

What lesson have you learned?

E-waste has been identified as the fastest growing waste stream in the world at present.
It is an imminent challenge to achieving sustainable development goals. The hazardous
chemical components of e-waste have potential adverse impacts on ecosystems and human
health if not managed properly. On reading this article, the lesson that I have learned is as one
of the user of these tools that are really emerging continuously, we need to know and be aware
of using these tools, on how to utilize it for a better outcome and at the same time could not
affect the status of our country economically. And also I have learned that comprehensive
global e-waste management and policies could help to off-set the hazards of e-waste and are
the best approach for achieving sustainable development. Because development should start
within ourselves.

What suggestions can you offer?

This article presents what and how does e-waste could impact the sustainable
development of each countries especially in South Asia. The idea that could be suggest and I
could offer that is constructed while reading this article is formal consecutive inventory
initiatives are needed in vulnerable countries such as those in developing countries in South
Asia. In addition, there is a need to develop health prevention strategies focusing on e-waste by
addressing susceptible groups, like children, pregnant women, and socio-economically
disadvantaged communities. It is also necessary to determine if there are any knowledge gaps
and awareness training needs from the top to the bottom level.

Submitted by: Angelene Buaga BEED II-A

PAGE 35
Name: Angelene Buaga Year and
Section: BEED II-A

Date: October 11, 2019

Topics: Issues on ICT

A. Freedom of Expression and Censorship

B. Privacy and Surveillance

C. Surveillance and Data Retention

D. e-pollutants from e-waste

I, as a future teacher,...

1. learned that e-waste has been identified as the fastest growing waste stream in the world at
present. It is an imminent challenge to achieving sustainable development goals. The hazardous
chemical components of e-waste have potential adverse impacts on ecosystems and human
health if not managed properly. On reading this article, the lesson that I have learned is, as one
of the user of these tools that are really emerging continuously, we need to know and be aware
of using these tools, on how to utilize it for a better outcome and at the same time could not
affect the status of our country economically. And also I have learned that comprehensive
global e-waste management and policies could help to off-set the hazards of e-waste and are
the best approach for achieving sustainable development. Because development should start
within ourselves.

2. Realized that high-income countries such as the US, countries of the European Union, and
Australia, Japan are considered to be the main sources of e-waste. Developing countries and
those in transition are gradually being affected by this imminent toxic threat from e-waste
because of their rapid movement towards technological development without the procedures,
policies and infrastructure to deal effectively with the waste. And according on the article about
e-waste, some Asian and African developing countries, particularly India, Bangladesh, Pakistan,
China, Sri Lanka, the Liberia, Benin, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria including the Philippines are
the most common destinations for dumping.

3. plan to as a future teacher, I should start learning and practicing simple different ways that
could help in reducing this e-waste system that is one of the challenge in sustainable
development such as, we should never throw e-waste in the trash. Even the small stuff like
phones or batteries shouldn’t go in the trash, sometimes we have something that still works,
but we don’t use it any more but somebody else might use it. The best thing to do is to give it to
someone else who can keep using it. If we can’t find someone who wants to use our old gadget,
then we can recycle it. We probably already recycle newspapers or bottles or cans from our
house. Electronics can be recycled, too. Because as an aspiring 21st century teacher we need
first to practice it within ourselves, apply it in different matters in order for us to have the
capability on teaching it to our future students.