E-WASTE EARTH VS ELECTRONICS
How electronic waste is recycled and why it can be so harmful to our planet
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
More than 63 per cent of the world is now connected to the internet, and many workers require an electronic device to do their job.
Even for activities that don’t require an internet connection, such as blow-drying your hair, heating up your dinner or illuminating a room, there’s always an electronic item waiting to be used.
Around 40 million tonnes of electronic waste, known as e-waste, is produced every year. This includes electrical or electronic equipment that has been discarded. But where does it all go? In the US alone, 100 million mobile phones, 41 million computers and over 20 million televisions are thrown into landfills in a year. Even for standard waste this is problematic, because any materials that are buried in the ground can’t be easily retrieved and recycled. Recycling electronics can save energy and means that less of Earth’s natural resources need to be mined. There are around 70 commonly used chemical elements that make up electronic devices, and many of these can be extracted from old electronics.