Computer waste or electronic waste is one of the biggest issues facing the modern world because of how fast they fill the dumpsites. Every year, electronic companies come up with new versions of popular gadgets. For example, The laptop that you used when you were in high school is not the same as the one you are using today. Alternatively, the smart phone that you used two years ago is not the same as the one you have today. People dispose off electronics much faster these days than they did in the past.
The people that handle the electronic waste put themselves at risk. When these electronics are buried in the ground, they affect the soil's fertility because they have lead and mercury components. Alternatively, you can burn the computer waste to recover copper, which can be re-used in the construction of new electronic components. Unfortunately, this process is also not safe since burning electronic waste leads to air pollution.
Since innovation started this problem, it should fix it. Manufacturers need to come up with better ways of disposing and recycling computer waste if we are to solve the problem.
At any given moment, 3 billion people across the world are texting. Societies across the globe have become dependent on continually replacing electronics. New models of smartphones roll out every year, and people have become accustomed to replacing phones that aren't even broken in favor of a newer model. Manufacturers also plan to create obsolescence in electronics (especially phones), so that within a few roll-outs, older models will no longer function ideally with newer operating systems. And then, sometimes, people do keep phones long enough that they break, crack, or show enough wear that a replacement is necessary. The same ideas apply to most electronics in our homes, from televisions to gaming systems to even the latest smart refrigerators. All of this creates an enormous amount of waste to dispose of somewhere. While some of these electronics do get resold or repaired, manufacturers intentionally try to create a market where it is easier to purchase new than to repair.
There are laws governing the disposal of electronics, but much"e-waste" ends up in landfills anyway. In 2016, approximately 49 million tons of electronic waste was discarded; in 2021, it is expected that 60 million tons will be discarded. That's alarming growth. Most electronics contain toxic materials that can leach into groundwater sources and other aspects of our ecosystems and can be nearly impossible to remove. These chemicals can also contribute to cancer and do damage to the nervous systems of children.
Part of this responsibility falls to consumers to delay upgrading electronics until it is actually necessary (and not just following marketing trends). Consumers should also focus more on reselling and repairing electronics instead of dumping them into the nearest landfill. And governments need to do a better job of regulating companies who intentionally create products to last for shorter and shorter life spans, forcing consumers to buy products over and over again.
https://get-green-now.com/e-waste-management/
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/09/the-global-cost-of-electronic-waste/502019/
https://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/the-environmental-costs-and-benefits-of-our-cell-phones.html
No comments:
Post a Comment