electronic waste

The issue of electronic waste is a huge problem, but one that is not widely recognized by most people. Once our devices become outdated, they are ignored in favor of the newer technology, and consumers usually don't really think about old electronics once they are no longer using them. However, such devices contain materials that can be reused such as precious metals and transistors. Recycling centers in America have strict laws and use what they can from the materials, and once the electronics are stripped, they are sent to countries with relaxed laws and low wages such as China and India. The workers there then extract what they can from the machines, but it is VERY dangerous. Lead and mercury can seep into the water, toxic fumes and chemicals can be released and some of the substances can cause birth defects and cancer. But it gets worse. Everything that cannot be extracted and reused is sent to a landfill or just sits in piles around worksites. 

Though this is all very upsetting and everyone who is educated about it would agree that it is an imminent problem, there are little or no laws in the majority of countries concerning this issue and there is a huge international market for scrap equiptment. In poor regions of the countries where the machines are sent, people will work for practically nothing, and while it is a good thing that goods can now be shipped anywhere in the world and there is a flow of information, electronic waste is a downside of globalization. 

Just before I sat down to write this post, I changed the cartridge for my printer and sent the old cartridge back to HP in the pre-paid envelope in the box. Though this is a small thing, it made me happy to see that the company HP is making it easy for consumers to do the right thing by providing a convenient alternative to throwing the old cartridge in the trash. A good way to cut down on my impact seems to be to buy electronics that can be upgraded, it just makes sense both financially and enviornmentally. It is hard to break the habit of throwing away something once it is of no use to me, but with things like cell phones and computers, I always try to give them to someone I know so I don't feel wasteful. I have given all my old cell phones to friends and my old computer is now my moms computer. Though I'm not out crusading daily against electronic waste, I am making an effort to reduce my negative impact on the enviornment, and knowing more about the problem makes me even more motivated to do the right thing, even if its not as easy as finding the nearest trash can.

It seems like new devices are comming out almost everyday, so this problem is not going to go away and if everyone just became more conscientious about their habits with electronics, it would really benefit the enviornment and the health of people in developing countries.