A Solution to E-Waste Essays -- Recycling Electronics

Over the past decade there was a profound development achieved in the sphere of high technologies production. Now the scale of electronics market becomes wider and spins up day by day with a cyclic launch of new electronic appliances with enhanced features. â€Å"According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), consumers were expected to purchase 500 million units of consumer electronics in the US in 2008.† (Electronics Takeback coalition, 2010) Consequently, a clear tendency toward rapid substitution of electronic appliances can be observed. A high rate in electronics upgrading shortens their lifespan and results in following stockpiling of needless gadgets, which become a part of municipal waste. These end-of-life electronic devices are often called â€Å"electronic waste, or e-waste†. As Brett H. Robinson (2009) claims, now worldwide production of e-waste reaches approximately 20-25 million tons being discarded every year with the largest proportion in Europ e, the United States and Australasia. Hence, the problem of e-waste disposal management grows into a serious global challenge. As it was reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2.6 million tons of electronic waste were generated in 2005 and only estimated 330,000 tons were recycled. (Kim A. O'Connell, 2007) Thereby a very small percentage of electronic waste undergoes recycling process, as a considerable part is stockpiled in landfills or incinerated with the rest of solid municipal waste. This essay will present main points of e-waste management issue, analyze possible approaches to the problem, such as export to developing countries for re-use, takeback and recycling programs, or so-called extended producer responsibility. Finally, the essay will sum up w... ... Waste Age 88-92 Robinson, B.H. 2009. E-waste: an assessment of global production and environmental impacts. Science for the total environment 408(2): 183-191. http://www.kiwiscience.com/JournalArticles/STOTEN2009.pdf (accessed January 4, 2011) Stephenson, J.B. 2008. Electronic Waste: Harmful U.S. exports flow virtually unrestricted because of minimal EPA enforcement and narrow regulation. United States Government Accountability Office, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081166t.pdf (accessed October 28, 2010) Umesi, N.O. and S. Onyia. 2008. Disposal of –ewastes in Nigeria: an appraisal of regulations and current practices. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 15(6): 565-573. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=22&sid=33791215-436d-410f-a19b-47492b147141%40sessionmgr14&vid=7 (accessed January 4, 2011)