Cell phones contain toxins that can leach into the ground.
E-waste, also called e-waste, has become an issue of great concern to environmentalists as an increasing number of electronic items are disposed of in landfills each year. Many consumers are not aware that electronic devices such as computers and cell phones contain toxins that can leach into the ground and harm the environment. The problem is further complicated by the fact that many of the items used in the construction of consumer electronics are quite valuable, leading companies to try to salvage them from abandoned electronics and unsafely dispose of the parts. unwished.
Cathode ray tubes must be disposed of properly.
Several countries have enacted e-waste laws to try to keep it out of landfills or in landfills equipped to handle toxic materials. Heavy metals from electronic waste, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, pose serious risks to the environment and health. While many consumers are trained to think of things like cathode ray tubes as dangerous items that require special disposal, most don’t plug cell phones with, for example, beryllium, a toxic heavy metal that can cause severe lung damage. In addition to the toxins it contains, e-waste also takes a long time to biodegrade, meaning it will take up space in landfills for centuries.
Soil can become contaminated with heavy metals from discarded cell phones or computers.
The question of what to do with electronic waste is a serious one. In the first world, many companies have started to take steps to reduce the amount of e-waste they generate. Companies that make electronics are starting to recall items when they have lost their usefulness, so usable items like copper can be safely removed and the rest of the electronics can be safely disposed of. However, a large part of the unwanted electronics in the First World is shipped to the Third World.
Electronic waste has been linked to the development of birth defects.
Sometimes this spam is sent under the guise of humanitarian reasons, arguing that old technology can still help bridge the gap between the first and third worlds. Slow laptops that are unwanted in the US, for example, can make a world of difference to someone living in Africa. However, much of this equipment actually arrives unusable and broken, and people desperate for cash try to harvest usable materials, such as valuable metals, from donated equipment. Unfortunately, most of these people lack training on how to handle hazardous materials used in electronics manufacturing and expose themselves and their communities to toxic chemicals and metals.
In other cases, genuine e-waste is shipped to third world countries in shipping containers. Many companies that claim to be “recycling” e-waste are actually shipping the pollution to other countries. Piles of unwanted consumer electronics are piling up on the side of the road and in third world landfills, leaching toxins into the soil and groundwater that cause crop failure, birth defects, and serious illness. Some environmentally responsible companies have begun to speak out against this practice and are taking steps to safely dispose of e-waste, with the help of governments, which have begun requiring e-waste processing fees to accompany the sale of e-waste. new consumer electronics.