E-waste Contains toxic substances harmful to Peoples health.
If individuals mobile phones, televisions, computers, and laptops were bought several years ago, these devices could be discussed as the trash today. That is why a lot of electronic equipment becomes specific e-waste that contains many toxic substances harmful to peoples health.
As a result, the disposal of electronic materials is risky for society, which has a great responsibility to minimize e-waste as well as the leakage of harmful substances during the recycling processes.
The constantly increasing amount of e-waste depends on such causes as the technological development and growth of population in the context of the consumerism tendency, and the effects of e-waste are the spread of toxic substances which cause many serious health problems.
The major causes which lead to the increase of e-waste are the focus on the technological development and innovation and the enhanced rate of electronic devices production, which is associated with the idea of consumerism. Thus, Leonard pays attention to the fact that when a person buys a computer now, the technology is changing so fast that within a couple of years, its [] an impediment to communication (Leonard 11).
As a result, a person is oriented to buy more electronic devices to respond to technological changes and modern tendencies. That is why, in many developed countries, proposed electronic products have a minimal life span with an average of one and a half year, and this fact causes the rate of the development in the modern world which facilitates the significant rate of electronic waste.
The advancement in technology leads to the production of new electronic appliances and products which become the trash in a year, and it is important to note that people are the experts in making more trash (Carroll par. 2). This fact has also contributed to the rise of many multinational corporations that have significantly influenced the electronic market system through the improved production of electronic products (Leonard 11-12).
Furthermore, the global population has increased significantly over the years, triggering the rate of electronic product use. This fact has led to an increment in production to meet the market demand for electronic products (Leonard 10). Thus, the population increase causes a significant increase in e-waste due to the improved demand and introduction of more technologically improved products.
It is also important to pay attention to the effects of the e-waste increase, which are the spread of toxic substances, heavy metals, and the associated health problems. In the modern world, most of the processes used in disposing of e-waste have contributed to a significant number of impacts on the environment and then, on human health.
ORourke states that when electronics are dumped in landfills, these substances can leach into the soil and groundwater, and moreover, when the waste is incinerated, contaminants and toxic chemicals are generated and released into the air (ORourke 121). Thus, the toxins released from the disposed waste materials end up in the atmosphere, water sources, and soil.
The majority of the modern established and the potential effects of improperly disposed e-waste materials. This tendency develops about enhanced rates of electronic products consumption and production. The following are some of the significant effects of made of polyvinyl chloride, including computer housing and cables, pose a potential threat to the environment.
During production, such and dioxins that pollute the air causing respiratory ailments (Leonard 4-5). Accumulation of lead from electronic components and computer screens poses a potential chronic toxic effect on the living organisms, including plants and microorganisms, due to the improper disposal of e-waste.
In human health, kidney damage is one of the serious problems associated with cases of exposure to lead substances (ORourke 121-122). Lead released from the disposed of e-waste on landfills also contaminates water supplies.
The spread of toxic substances and harmful heavy metals lead to peoples significant problems with their health. Carroll supports this idea while claiming that a cycle of disease or disability is already in motion (Carroll par. 8). From this point, the global recycling practices on e-waste have also contributed to the increased health risks.
The released toxic materials can damage the human nervous system, cause high blood pressure, retardation, and affect child development (Carroll par. 9-10).
Such a chemical as polybrominated biphenyls found in plastic covers, television set covers, connectors, and circuit boards causes an increased risk of lymphatic system cancer (Leonard 4-5). This is one of the chemicals found in disposable switches, batteries, discharge lamps, thermostats that accumulate in higher concentrations in organisms.
E-waste has been considered one of the most potent factors of pollution. E-waste materials contain toxic and hazardous substances that when mishandled, can cause harm to human health and the general environment. Thus, the modern disposal of such wastes, including recycling, makes them a significant threat to the community.
That is why, the society as a whole, including producers and consumers, has the great responsibility to influence the increase of e-waste and to minimize its harmful effects on the publics health because the development of technologies leads to increased production of electronic devices, and this situation leads to more e-waste and more toxic substances.
