Source: Sustainable Industries.com by Harpreet Cheema
The pace of change in technology today is unrelenting. Electronics are outdated in the blink of an eye, consigned to trash, or e-trash. Today’s consumer is obsessed with new technology; there are over 300 million computers and one billion cell phones produced every year. With old electronics becoming redundant, inefficient, and obsolete, we are quickly replacing them with new ones. But what happens to old electronics or e-waste? Electronic waste is the fastest growing stream of global waste and will continue to be dumped in developing countries least equipped to deal with it properly.
What is e-waste?
E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to all electronic devices, surplus, damaged or obsolete, which have been discarded by their original owners. According to a United Nations estimate, the world produces up to 50 million tons of e-waste per year. This global mountain of waste is expected to continue growing 8% per year, indefinitely. With increased access to information technology, there are also challenges in managing electronic products at their end-of-use.
Quick Facts on e-Waste
- The US dumps about 400 million tons of e-waste, of which less that 20% is recycled
- e-Waste constitutes only 2% of the landfill waste, yet it contributes to 70% of the toxic elements in it
- 70-80% of the e-waste collected for recycling is actually dumped into third world countries
- The Ponemon Institute estimates that 70% of data breaches come from offline computers, usually after they have been disposed
Why Recycle e-Waste?
E-waste is of concern largely due to toxicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. The toxicity results from lead, mercury, cadmium and a number of other substances present in electronics. A typical computer monitor may contain more than 6% lead by weight, and up to 38 separate chemical elements are incorporated into e-waste items. The unsustainability of discarded electronics and computer technology is another reason for the need to recycle. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals, that can be recovered for future uses, also called “above the ground mining. Last, it is now illegal in most states to dump e-waste into landfills, leaving recycling as the only option.
Is your e-Waste really being Recycled?
An estimated 70-80% of the e-waste given to recyclers is actually exported to countries like India, China, and Ghana. Once there, primitive technologies such as open air burning and riverside acid baths are used to extract a few materials exposing workers (mostly underage children) to toxic fumes and hazardous elements.
Do you know who your recycler is?
Certified Recyclers adhere to responsible and ethical recycling of e-waste. A few guidelines on choosing the right recycler for your e-waste help determine whether they are operating under strict environmental controls and high worker safety protections. A few general questions to ask:
- Is the recycler certified and does it follow a set of industry recognized guidelines? EPA recognizes e-Stewards and R2 certifications, and most states have made it mandatory for government organizations to only use certified recyclers.
- Is the recycler held accountable for the e-waste collected so that it doesn’t end up in India or China.
- Does the recycler have written procedures for treating hazardous components in e-waste?
The e-Stewards® Certified Recyclers
Developed by the Basel Action Network (BAN) and industry leaders, the e-Stewards Certification is the gold standard in electronics recycling, giving consumers, companies and governments an easy way to find responsible recyclers and refurbishers. Accredited, independent and specially trained e-Stewards certification bodies, via rigorous, on-site audits that are performed at least once a year certify e-Stewards Recyclers.
Data Security and E-Waste
Recycling of e-Waste can be compromising, as it involves handling sensitive data on those computers. A pint size data breach can cause an organization huge financial and reputation losses. Hard drives and various other media storage devices need to be properly destroyed to avoid any data theft. Proper destruction and disposal of data is only possible through ethical recycling practices and following NAID standards while handling such devices.
Recent e-Waste Data Breach cases include:
- A recent EPA Enforcement Case resulted in $195K fine for AT&T for improper disposal of computers
- A hard drive purchased from eBay was discovered to have US Missile defense secrets on it
- Reporters found Northrop Grumman Data on hard drive bought in a Ghana market
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee spent more than $7 Million to respond to an obsolete computer theft issue
Let’s take a pledge to never trash or store technology. Instead lets reuse, refurbish or recycle it. If individuals and companies practice due diligence in properly recycling e-waste, the future and our environment will be more secure.
Harpreet Cheema holds a masters in Environmental Studies and is Co-Founder of Waste To Green, the East Coast’s first minority owned e-Stewards, R2 and ISO 140001 certified e-Waste recycler and a proud B Corp.