1. Amount of E-waste world-wide
• An estimated 50 million tons of Ewaste are produced each
year. The USA discards 30 million
computers each year and 100
million phones are disposed of in
Europe each year.
• The Environmental Protection
Agency estimates that only 1520% of e-waste is recycled, the
rest of these electronics go directly
into landfills and incinerators.
• China already produces about 2.3
million tons (2010 estimate)
domestically, second only to the
United States.

2. • Life span of a computer
changed from 4-6 years in
1997 to 2 years in 2005 and
further decreasing .
• Average working life of a
mobile phone is 7 years but
worldwide the average
consumer changes their
mobile every 11 months.
• UN study has found that
manufacturing a computer
and its screen takes at least
240kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg of
chemicals and 1.5 tonnes of
water – more than the weight
of a car.

3. • By 2017, the volume of discarded eproducts worldwide is expected to be 33
per cent higher than in 2012 and weigh
the equivalent of eight of the Great
Pyramids of Egypt.
• Rapid changes in technology, changes in
media falling prices, and planned
obsolescence have resulted in a fastgrowing surplus of electronic waste
around the globe.
• A substantial proportion of e-waste
exports go to countries outside Europe,
including west African countries.
• Treatment in these countries usually
occurs in the informal sector, causing
significant environmental pollution and
health risks for local populations.

4. E-Waste: Environmental and
Health Hazards
Our electronic waste is filled with a
veritable cocktail of toxic materials.
Unfortunately when this ewaste is not
recycled and simply thrown out with the
garbage, ultimately ending up
in landfill, it means both human health
and the environment are at risk.
Discarded electronics contain
hazardous materials like :
Lead (Pb)
Mercury (Hg)
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr)
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride Plastics)
Cadmium (Cd)
Brominated Flame Retardants (Pb)

5. Lead
•Lead accumulates in the environment and has
high acute and chronic toxic effects on plants,
animals and microorganisms.
•Lead is known to cause damage to nervous
systems, blood system and kidneys in humans.
•Effects on the endocrine system have been
observed, and serious negative effects on
children's brain development are well
documented.
•Lead existing in land filled products has the
potential to contaminate drinking water supplies.
Cadmium
Cadmium is cancer causing to humans.
Within environmental systems it rapidly
degrades soil health causing flow on effects
to local ecosystems; it is also released to
the atmosphere if burnt.
The apparatus consists of the 10 ×
10 cm printed circuit board
mounted with SMD devices

6. Mercury
•Mercury has a toxic affect on both human and
environmental health. Negative effects on brain
functioning and development have been
attributed to mercury.
• A small amount now exists in every household
light-bulb (the new energy efficient CFLs), if
these light-bulbs are crushed as part of the
waste transfer process the elemental form of
mercury is easily transferred into local
.
environments.
•Once in landfill and combined with organics,
anaerobic breakdown takes place leading to the
production of highly toxic methyl-mercury.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride Plastics)
•The production and burning of PVC products generates
dioxins and furans, which contribute to air pollution and
respiratory ailments.
•. Hazardous chemical additives (like phthalates) can
leach when PVC components of electronic products are
sent to landfill.

7. Brominated Flame Retardants
When e waste is oxidized during
smelting, bromine will be released. The
released bromine may then recombine with
unoxidized carbon under certain conditions in
smelter emissions in the form of Brominated
dioxins and furans.
•Research has concluded that exposure to
these chemicals in early life could induce
neurotoxic effects similar to those caused by
other toxic substances such as some
pesticides.
•Exposure to Polybrominated Biphenyls
(PBBs) are believed to cause an increased risk
of cancer of the digestive and lymph systems.
•PBBs are found in:
Printed circuit boards
Components such as connectors, plastic
covers and cables
Plastic covers of TV sets

9. It is estimated that 75% of electronic items
are stored due to uncertainty of how to
manage it. These electronic junks lie
unattended in houses, offices, warehouses
etc. and normally mixed with household
wastes, which are finally disposed off at
landfills. This necessitates implementable
management measures.
In industries management of e-waste
should begin at the point of generation.
This can be done by waste minimization
techniques and by sustainable product
design. Waste minimization in industries
involves adopting:
inventory management,
production-process modification,
volume reduction,
recovery and reuse.

10. Inventory management
Proper control over the materials used in the manufacturing process
is an important way to reduce waste generation (Freeman, 1989).
By reducing both the quantity of hazardous materials used in the
process and the amount of excess raw materials in stock, the
quantity of waste generated can be reduced. This can be done in
two ways i.e. establishing material-purchase review and control
procedures and inventory tracking system.
Production-process modification
Changes can be made in the production process, which will reduce
waste generation. This reduction can be accomplished by changing
the materials used to make the product or by the more efficient use
of input materials in the production process or both. Potential waste
minimization techniques can be broken down into three categories:
i) Improved operating and maintenance procedures,
ii) Material change and
iii)Process-equipment modification.
Recovery and reuse
This technique could eliminate waste disposal costs,
reduce raw material costs and provide income from a
salable waste. Waste can be recovered on-site, or at an
off-site recovery facility, or through inter industry
exchange. A number of physical and chemical
techniques are available to reclaim a waste material
such as reverse osmosis, electrolysis, condensation,
electrolytic recovery, filtration, centrifugation etc.

11. Information security
• E-waste presents a
potential security threat to individuals
and exporting countries.
• Hard drives that are not properly erased
before the computer is disposed of can be
reopened, exposing sensitive information

12. TOXIC SUBSTANCES PRESENT IN EWASTE
Hazardou
s
Americiu
m
Lead
Mercury
Sulphur
Cadmium
Beryllium
oxide
Aluminum
Copper
Germaniu
m
Gold
Iron
Lithium
Nickel
Silicon
Tin
Zinc
NonHazardou
s

13. • Credit card numbers, private
financial data, account information
and records of online transactions
can be accessed by most willing
individuals. Organized criminals in
Ghana commonly search the drives
for information to use in
local scams.[38]

14. • Government contracts have been
discovered on hard drives found
in Agbogbloshie.
• Multi-million dollar agreements from
United States security institutions such as
the Defense Intelligence
Agency(DIA), the Transportation Security
Administration and Homeland
Security have all resurfaced in
Agbogbloshie

15. Background
• The global growth in electrical and electronic equipment
production and consumption is exponential.
• Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing waste
stream today.
• Due to the high financial investment needed for
environmentally sound waste management, there is
currently a high level of transboundary, often illegal,
movement of e-waste into developing countries for
recycling and the worldwide market for e-waste is
growing by almost 9% per year.
• Between 50% and 80% of e-waste collected for recycling
in developed countries each year is being exported.

16. Issues Posed
• High volumes
• Toxic design
• Poor design and complexity
• Financial incentives
• Lack of regulation

17. Risks to Workers and the
Environment
•
•
•
•
•
•
Different chemicals pose different hazards and without information, safe
handling cannot be assured
The main hazards arise from the presence of heavy metals, persistent
organic pollutants, flame retardants and other potentially hazardous
substances.
The workers and local residents in areas of e-recycling in developing
countries are exposed to the chemicals through inhalation, dust ingestion,
dermal exposure and dietary intake.
Workers are exposed to other hazards leading to physical injuries and
chronic ailments such as asthma, skin diseases, eye irritations etc.
For the most part, workers are not aware of environmental and health risks,
do not know better practices or have no access to investment capital to
finance safety measures.
It is a global environmental and health emergency, beyond occupational
exposure involving vulnerable groups and future generations

18.  Governments should set up regulatory agencies in each state,
which are vested with the responsibility of coordinating and
consolidating the regulatory functions of the various
government authorities regarding hazardous substances .
 Governments must encourage research into the development
and standard of hazardous waste management, environmental
monitoring and the regulation of hazardous waste -disposal.
 Governments should enforce strict regulations and heavy fines
levied on industries, which do not practice waste prevention
and recovery in the production facilities .
 Governments should enforce strict regulations against dumping
e-waste in the country by outsiders.

19. 





Re-evaluate 'cheap products' use, make product
cycle 'cheap' and so that it has no inherent value that
would encourage a recycling infrastructure.
Create computer components and peripherals of
biodegradable materials.
Encourage / promote / require green procurement for
corporate buyers.
Look at green packaging options.
Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is
the most effective solution to the growing e-waste
problem.
E-wastes should never be disposed with garbage and
other household wastes. This should be segregated at
the site and sold or donated to various organizations.