UN pinpoints growing global e-waste problem
Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 11:11:34
Old mobile phones, computers and gadgets of all kinds are creating a serious issue around the world after being dumped by consumers, according to a study commissioned by the United Nations.
The Telegraph reports that the amount of e-waste which is generated each year has increased by almost a tenth since 2015. Furthermore, as little as 20 per cent of this mountain of electronics is actually handled by recycling firms, creating an environmental hazard on a gigantic scale.
British people are accountable for around 25kg of e-waste each year, with some devices simply left to gather dust in households while others are either trashed with general waste or burnt at incineration plants.
UN spokesperson, Jakob Rhyner, said that the efforts to increase recycling rates for e-waste needed to be taken more seriously throughout member states, since the risks to the environment and to public health posed by improperly processed electronics can be significant.
He also said that there needed to be a change in the way that e-waste is recorded and tracked to ensure that accurate figures were available, allowing for a thorough assessment of the problem at hand.
It is not just smartphones, laptops and tablets which count as electronic waste, but also anything which can be hooked up to a mains connection via an adapter of some kind. So even appliances like fridges and kettles are factored into this total.
Because mobile users can sell their old phones online and get cash in return, there is at least an incentive to take this route rather than ignoring the calls of experts to take responsibility for e-waste. But governments are also required to act, making access to recycling services more widespread and ensuring that proper processes are in place to prevent this issue worsening.
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