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PC waste leaves toxic
taste
Harish C. Mehra
 ELECTRONIC
waste or e-waste comprises of discarded or obsolete electronic products
like PCs, TV sets, VCRs, VCDs, cellphones, stereos, fax machines,
copiers, microwave ovens etc. At the same time, these items have become
a central part of our everyday lives. Computer equipment is a
complicated assembly of more than 1,000 components, many of which are
hazardous and toxic. A major culprit in the hazardous waste areas is the
computer monitor and television cathode ray tube (CRT), which contains
five to eight pounds of lead. The non-biodegradable refuse from e-waste
and other sources often ends up in land-fills or incinerators where
toxic substances like residues of lead, cadmium, lethal mercury,
carcinogenic asbestos, tin plates, arsenic, PVC and plastic waste, lead
and cadmium batteries etc. contaminate the land, water and air, posing
serious health hazards and affecting the environment.
The fundamental dynamism
of computer manufacturing that has transformed life in the second half
of the 20th century, especially the speed of innovation also leads to
rapid product obsolescence. Various companies constantly generate new
software, programs and products that fuel the demand for more speed,
memory and power with the result that the average lifespan of a PC has
shrunk to a mere 2 years. It is estimated that the volume of cellphone
handsets will surge to over 100 million and PCs to 25.5 million by 2007.
Obviously, it is cheap and convenient to buy a new PC than to upgrade
the old one. But what happens to those old computers once they have been
abandoned for newer models?
At this point it will be
most appropriate to quote Ted Smith, Founder Silicon Valley Toxic
Coalition: "The fruits of our high-tech revolution are pure
dangerous poison if these products are improperly disposed instead of
being recycled at the end of their useful life."
Health hazard
The risk factors of
e-toxins related to our health and environment are damage to lungs and
kidneys, central and peripheral nervous systems, birth defects,
asthmatic bronchitis, increased risk of cancer of the digestive and
lymph systems, acute and chronic effects on plants, animals and
micro-organisms to name a few. Also lead in land-fills often leaches
into the ground and contaminates drinking water.
Nearly 50 to 80 per cent
of e-waste collected for recycling in the Western countries is not
recycled domestically, but instead is placed in container ships bound
for countries such as China, India and Pakistan. This form of recycling
is used due to cheap labour and lack of environmental standards in Asia.
It is 10 times cheaper to ship CRT monitors to China than it is to
recycle them in the US.
The 21st Century
Classrooms Act for Private Technology Investment encourages large
companies to donate computer equipment to public and private schools.
But still, computer junk is growing and imminent waste crisis is about
to hit the US and they are at a loss to know where to unload this stuff.
A leading Indian magazine
had reported nearly six months ago that an estimated 12,000 workers are
employed in a recycling hub at the Mandoli Industrial Area of East
Delhi. They are made to strip computer circuit boards by washing them in
various chemical solutions amid fumes, filth and pollution. There is no
protective gear for workers who inhale poisonous fumes, handle harmful
waste and sift through the poisonous components like cadmium, mercury
and barium that are often released in the process which not only causes
health hazards but also pollutes the environment.
Waste control
Project Agastya and the
Environment and Health Foundation of Bangalore in India have launched an
awareness drive on e-waste. They are now targeting the public,
electronic and scrap industry and policy makers who will involve
educational/research institutions, state ministries of education and
environment, civic authorities besides domestic and commercial users.
Finding ways to keep electronic waste out of landfills is a challenge
now facing electronic equipment manufacturers, recycling and waste
management organisations and environmental regulatory agencies. At
present, many households have little choice but to put obsolete or
broken electronic items in the trash.
Some of the efforts that
could help deal with e-waste include:
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Computer equipment
manufacturers should offer 'take back' programs.
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Encouraging computer
reuse and recycling.
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Greater use of
alternative products, such as LCD panels and plasma screens for
televisions and computers.
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Design products for
longevity, upgradeability, repair and reuse.
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Increasing public
awareness by labeling products as 'environmental hazard.'
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Applying the mantra of
reduce, reuse and recycle.
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Promote eco-friendly
practices, such as upgrading or repairing electronic products
instead of buying new ones.
Changes in product design
and process technology to gradually phase out the use of e-toxins.
Fujitsu is among a handful of Japanese companies that have developed
four technologies to eliminate toxic chemicals by developing lead-free
products.
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