E-Waste Management by Jay Hoehl Inc

E-Waste: What it is?

The end-of-life electrical and electronic products are referred to as e-waste. All the electronic devices which need to be refurbished, reused, salvaged, recycled or disposed off are categorized as e-waste. Computers, laptops, smart-phones, cameras, printers, scanners, home appliances, electronic toys, TV screens and numerous other electronic devices are all labeled as e-waste at the end of their service lives.

Why and how e-waste is produced?

In the modern day consumer driven societies, the demand for the newer, faster and more efficient electronic devices is off the charts. Due to this reason, the life span of electronic devices is getting shorter by the day. Factors like rapid advancements in technology, falling prices of electronic gadgets and planned obsolescence are contributing towards the steep growth of surplus e-waste.

E-waste statistics

The amount of e-waste generated globally in 2018 was 50 million tons with an annual growth rate of 4 to 5 percent. Out of that 50 million tons, around 12 million tons of e-waste was produced by the U.S alone. This accounts for 24% of the total global e-waste output.

The global e-waste average in 2017 was around 13.5 pounds per person. However, this number was 3 times higher for United States and Canada. With approximately 1 billion phones and 300 million computers manufactured each year, the e-waste stream is destined to grow out of limits.

E-Waste: Risks and Hazards

A sophisticated electronic device like a smart phone or a computer is a complex blend of multiple materials such as precious/semi-precious metals, heavy metals, rare earth minerals, semiconductor crystals, resins and plastics. Many of these materials are toxic, explosive or unsuitable for health and environment.

The recycling of e-waste is a complex process which requires a proper e-waste management methodology. Improper recycling methods result into the release of toxic gases and materials such as lead, cadmium, mercury, phosphors, dioxins, furans and brominated flame retarded compounds. The leakage of these elements and compounds into the environment causes adverse effects in terms of ecology and human health.

According to estimates by experts, only 15-20% of the e-waste is recycled properly. The remaining e-waste mass goes into the landfills and incinerators. 50% of the total e-waste generated in the U.S is exported overseas for cheap component and material extraction. Only 20 – 25% is recycled within the United States.

Even when recycled, the techniques used are often very rudimentary and crude in nature. The techniques include stripping of metals in open air acid baths for precious metal recovery, component extraction from PCBs using eat guns and flame throwers, melting of plastics without precautionary measures and open air burning of rubbers, resins and plastics. All these methods are extremely hazardous for the health as well as the environment. Without a proper structure, policies and e-waste management strategies, the damage caused by e-waste handling cannot be controlled.

Benefits of proper e-waste recycling

The exponential increase in the e-waste levels poses significant threats to the environment as well as human health. The only large-scale, quick and efficient solution to this problem is the proper recycling of e-waste. By efficiently recovering the precious metals and the rare earth elements from the electronic waste, the diminishing natural reserves can be preserved.

Effective recycling procedures make sure that the heavy metals and other toxic materials do not get leaked in to the air or the water sources. From an ecological point of view, effective recycling of e-waste helps in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint by reducing the number of new products being manufactured.

Another major advantage of the e-waste recycling is the component reuse. ICs, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, fiberglass and plastics can be recovered from the e-waste products, which can then be reused in the development of new products. This offers benefits both in terms of economy as well as ecology.

However, effective e-waste management strategies and policies are required on all levels of the supply chain as well society, in order to mitigate the adverse effects of poor e-waste management. For all of your Phoenix Industrial E- Scrap Management contact Jay Hoehl Inc.