Dispose of Electronic garbage for human safety

Electronic garbage denotes to consumer and business electronic gadgets that has ended its lifecycle for human application.

Electronic garbage includes the following:

-      TV, computer monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mouse, cables, circuit boards, lamps, clocks, flashlight, calculators, phones, answering machines, digital/video cameras, radios, VCRs, DVD players, Mobile & Tabs, notebook computers, MP3 and CD players, .  

-      Kitchen equipment such as toasters, coffee makers, microwave ovens.  

-      Laboratory equipment (hot plates, microscopes, calorimeters)  

It is imperative for all of us to know that Electronic equipment consist all types of materials such as dangerous chemicals like lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury, and brominated flame retardants. When Electronic garbage of gadgets and devices is disposed wrongly, these dangerous materials lead to many threats to environment as well as to human health. These electronic waste can bloat air pollution, contaminating soil, and leak into water sources.

There are many health hazards associated with electronic garbage such as kidney disease and brain damage to genetic mutations.

It is necessary for all users to properly dispose of electronic garbage. There are myriads of options to either recycle or dispose of e-waste.

Consumers can drop all types of electronic-waste for recycling at recycle companies. These items include:

-      Cell phones

-      TVs

-      Power cords

-      GPS devices

-      Speakers

-      DVD players

-      Paper shredders

-      Memory cards

-      Desktops

-      Laptops

-      Notebook computers

Around the globe, electronic waste is collated at huge scale. Many countries are struggling to manage heap of electronic waste. It is taking severe form among populace. However, technological advancement is transforming the human activities in world, developing nations such as India is threatened by increasing electronic waste. Developed countries, such as the US, dispose their electronic waste to India and other Asian countries. A recent investigation exposed that the electronic gadgets are recycled in the United States and reused in Asia, where they are either disposed of or further recycled without considering environmental safety or employee health.

It is necessary that developing nations must be awake from the domination of the developed countries and develop appropriate management measures to avert the hazards and accidents due to mishandling of electronic waste.

Techniques to dispose electronic garbage:

To tackle the current situation, many industrialized countries like US has modified certain e-waste disposal methods. Some methods are mentioned below:

Landfilling:

This is common procedure disposing electronic garbage. Soil is excavated and trenches are made for burying the e-waste in it. An impervious liner is made of clay or plastic with a leachate basin for collection and transferring the e-waste to the treatment plant. However, landfill is not eco-friendly process to dispose of the e-waste as toxic substances like cadmium, lead and mercury are released inside the soil and ground water that may have adverse health impact on humans.

Acid bath:

Acid bath is a procedure of soaking of the electronic circuits in the powerful sulphuric, hydrochloric or nitric acid solutions that free the metals from the electronic pathways. The recovered metal is used in the manufacturing of other products while the dangerous acid waste finds its ways in the local water sources.

Incineration:

This is an organised way to manage the e-waste and it involves burning of electronic waste at high temperature in specially designed incinerators. This e-waste disposal technique is relatively beneficial as the waste volume is reduced extremely less and the energy obtained is also utilized separately. But this method emits harmful gases mercury and cadmium in the environment.

Recycling of e-waste:

This technique of handling electronic garbage is utilized by most of the companies. Electronic devices like Mobile phones, monitors, CPUs, floppy drives, laptops, keyboards, cables and connecting wires can be re-used through recycling process. It involves dismantling of the electronic device, separation of the parts having hazardous substances and then retrieval of the precious metals like copper, gold or lead can be done with the help of the effective a powerful e-waste recycler.

To manage electronic garbage and properly disposal of these items, Governments must establish regulatory agencies in each district, which are assigned with the responsibility of co-ordinating and consolidating the regulatory functions of the various government authorities regarding hazardous substances.

Governments must also develop an adequate system of laws, controls and administrative procedures for hazardous waste management. There is a need to device comprehensive law that provides e-waste regulation and management and proper disposal of hazardous wastes.

It is well perceived that electronic garbage is perilous for human health as certain components of some electronic products contain materials that are dangerous, depending on their condition and density. Rejected computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, mobile phones, audio equipment and batteries must be disposed of properly. If people are not aware of procedure to manage electronic garbage in eco-friendly manner, it may pose serious health issues. Many of electronic products can be reused, revamped, or recycled in proper way so that they pose less harmful effect to the ecosystem. Public must be aware of how to handle electronic garbage to save human life.