Running Head: EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

Human & Environmental Effects of Electronic Waste

Samantha Santiaguel
Valencya Gooden
AP Environmental Science A3
Tallwood High School

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ABSTRACT

The mission of ECHO or, Electronics Can Help Out is to formally process electronic
waste in developing countries to prevent detrimental human health effects and environmental
pollution. We want to recover many valuable materials aluminum, copper, gold, and silver to
make new electronic devices in order to save time and money. This paper thoroughly details the
causes, effects, and possible solutions to electronic waste. A few causes include the rapid growth
of technological devices, increased population, and the diminishing level of human mentality.
Effects of electronic waste include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, information
security, and human exploitation. Solutions to decrease the human and environmental effects to
electronic waste include reducing, reusing, recycling, donating, and supporting companies that
support eco-friendly products. This paper analyzes the history of e-waste, as well as what is
currently being done regarding the issue. There are few laws and treaties that have been signed in
countries to better handle the production of e-waste. However, there are few people who strongly
believe that we should not reuse electronics for a plethora of issues that again, will be explained
further in the paper.

EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
History of the Problem4
How it developed...
How it was discovered...
Actions taken to solve the problem
Relevant Laws and Treaties ..
Cause(s) of E-waste.5
Consequences of E-waste6
Proposed Solutions..7
Position of the Opposed..8

EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

History of the problem
With the development and
expansion of technology, electronic waste
has become more prevalent. Nowadays,
technology is evolving and devices
continue to become upgraded. Along with
the technology being upgraded, there are
more and more electronics that are being
outgrown or broken. Electronic waste is more than just computers and laptops. It is also
televisions, printers, stereos, and cell phones. Most of these devices can still be reused,
refurbished, or recycled. Even so, many people merely throw their electronics away. Due to
peoples carelessness, electronics are becoming more prevalent in landfills or incinerators
(International, 2009). More and more electronic waste is appearing in landfills and incinerators,
way more than those that are being recycled (Coalition, n.d.). According to Felix Richter, as of
the year 2012, 49 million tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide.
Worldwide, organizations are working to reduce electronic waste and are declaring
solutions for their country. Such solutions are the Libreville Declaration in Africa 2008 and the
Busan Pledge for Action of Childrens Environmental Health of 2009 in Korea. The World
Health Organization is working to identify the main sources and future health risks of electronic
waste and are coming up with solutions and interventions. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency, the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and
the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, are
all working together with the World Health Organization (WHO, n.d.). The International Waste

EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

Management Network is the result of the EPA and EPAT working together. The IEMN enables
environmental officials in the Asia-Pacific region to share information and practices on
electronic waste management. (International E-watte Management Network, n.d.)
There are a total of twenty-five states that currently have laws that prevent electronic
waste from being added to landfills or prevent electronic waste from being disposed of
improperly. According to Electronics Take Back, 65% of the population in the United States is
now covered by a state electronic waste recycling law. The Responsible Electronics Recycling
Act or RERA is a legislation that seeks to prohibit the exportation of untested and nonfunctional
electronics to developing nations where improper disposal may create environmental, health or
national security risks. The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act prohibits the unsustainable
export of toxic e-waste. (Adoption of E-waste legislation in the U.S. declines in 2013, 2013)

.
Cause of the problem
Electronics are made up of hazardous materials and toxins, located in the circuitry and
other parts within the device. When they are simply thrown away, they are piled up at landfills

EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC WASTE

and are eventually crushed. Dangerous toxic substances seep into the group and leak into the
water table. Not only are these dangerous toxic substances introduced to the water table
underground, but they are also being introduced into the atmosphere. These substances create
hazards for both the environment and humans.
Along with the increase in electronics being discarded in landfills, many electronics are
being sent to incinerators where they are burned. Burning electronic waste is one of the worst
thing you can do to the environment because it releases toxic heavy metals that can cause serious
problems to the central nervous system, lead to birth defects, kidney damage, and respiratory
problems. It is even worse when the electronics being burned contain PVC plastic because it
contains highly toxic dioxin and furans that are released into the air, this can cause cancer in
animals. (Shore, 2010)
Consequences of the problem
With the growing number of electronics showing up in landfills worldwide, people in
developing countries have found a source in income searching and selling valuable elements
located within these electronics that are being thrown out. The copper and gold found in these
electronics are being sold for money. This is happening more so in developing or emerging
industrialized countries. Due to this, many adult and child workers are being harmed by burning
cables and hazardous waste. Not only do these substances harm the workers, but they also harm
the families of the workers, exposing them all to the materials. The health risks involved from
direct contact with harmful materials and substances such as lead, cadmium, chromium,
polychlorinated biphenyls, and brominated flame retardants. The inhalation of toxic fumes and
chemicals being seeped into soil, water, and food also cause harmful hazards to these people.
Children are more so at risk to these health risks as they are still developing. The inhalation and

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intake of these hazardous substances, many of the damages to their body may be irreversible or
fatal (WHO, n.d.).
In the future, people are only going to demand more and more electronic products to use.
Along with the demand for more new and improved electronics, older devices will end up being
thrown away. In order to prevent the number of electronic waste from skyrocketing, the
European Union has worked on improving their management on recycling waste and making it
into reusable materials in order to make more products. With the proposal of recycling their
electronic waste, environmental pollution reduction will increase by saving virgin resources that
can be reused into making other electronics. The value in electronic waste is huge. It is said that
the potential revenue from the recycling of electronic waste is 2.15 billion Euros, or about 24
billion dollars. (Morgan, 2015)
Proposed Solutions to the Problem
Refurbishing is a way to reduce e-waste. Refurbished products can be sold at a lower
price; meaning that the society and the environment will benefit. The EPA estimates that only
25% of the electronic waste within the United States is collected for recycling, so that means that
75% of e-waste is ending up somewhere else. In many cases, old electronics are reused. In
developing countries such as those in Asia - are only used a short time and then dumped in
areas that dont have proper hazardous waste facilities. Unfortunately, large portions of e-waste
ends up in landfills as well. The most devastating news of all regarding e-waste is the fact that
only a small percentage of e-waste 12.5% - is actually recycled (Bidwell, 2013)
There are many solutions to e-waste. As stated earlier, unwanted or unused electronics
contaminate our soil. One could join Goodwills ReConnect Program. Nearly 2,000 participating

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Goodwill locations across the US will accept any brand of computer equipment. Goodwill has
the ability to sell or responsibly recycle all of their donated products. All of the proceeds are used
for job training and employment opportunities for people in the community. Another good thing
about Goodwill is that employees are experts at wiping all of the personal information off of
working hard drives therefore, when it is recycled and turned on, no one will see the
information of the previous owners (Stiska, 2009). Manufacture owners, should also start taking
full responsibility when it comes to the cycle of their electronics. As individuals, we should
support companies that make eco-friendly products and we should also think about purchasing
new devices; do we need them, or do we want them.
The Position of those in Opposition

E-waste is a serious environmental problem, from toxic chemicals and heavy metals
leaching into soils in landfills, to the pollution to air and water supplies caused through improper
recycling techniques in developing countries. E-waste is extremely harmful to human health,
particularly to those working directly with e-waste dumps. Chemicals found in the air affects
human lungs. The polluted air that the workers in these e-waste dumps constantly breathe in,
cause inflammation and stress that lead to heart disease, possibly even cancer. (Heimbuch, 2011).
Cell phones, computers, television sets, and kitchen appliances can be improperly recycled or
end up in landfills. This, clearly does not coincide with the well-being of humans. Mobile
phones, for example, contain harmful toxins including lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine
and bromine they can leak into the groundwater and bio accumulate in the food chain causing
detrimental damage to the soil, water supply, vegetation, animals and humans. Mercury
poisoning, according to The Windows Club, responsible for all electronics created by the

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Windows Company says mercury poisoning also causes acute brain damages (Cell Phone
Toxins and the Harmful Effects on the Human Body When Recycled Improperly, 2013). E-waste
is also responsible for skin diseases, including warts and certain forms of dangerous allergies.

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10
REFERENCES

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Heimbuch, J. (2011, June 3). E-Waste Harms Human Health; New Research Details How.
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Shore, A. (2010, August 7). Incineration of Electronic Waste and its Dangers. Retrieved from
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