Electronic waste, or e-waste, has been around for as long as electronic devices have existed. However, with the rapid rise in the number of devices being produced and discarded, managing e-waste has become an increasingly pressing issue.
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In addition to the increasing volume of electronic devices, new devices are also being introduced into the market. We are compelled to update our mobile phones and laptops regularly, but we are also buying smart speakers, smartwatches, drones, and other devices. When this electronic gear reaches the end of its usefulness, it almost always becomes e-waste.
What is E-Waste?
The term e-waste generally refers to anything that uses electricity. Increasingly, it refers to digital devices with a display screen and a computer processing unit. Televisions, display monitors, printers, mobile phones, portable music players, drones, and other devices will all become e-waste when they no longer work or become outdated.
Disposing of any kind of waste is a major problem for society. However, e-waste presents unique challenges because it often contains toxic substances and highly valuable minerals such as cobalt, copper, gold, and platinum.
The United States is one of the biggest producers of e-waste in the world. According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Americans generated an average of 46 pounds of e-waste per person in 2022, equivalent to 15.8 billion pounds for the entire country. Only 52% of e-waste was recycled that year, and even the recycling of e-waste is not without issues.
Why is Recycling E-Waste Important?
E-waste is widely considered hazardous as it often contains toxic and hazardous materials if released into the environment. According to the World Health Organization, improper recycling or handling of e-waste can release up to 1000 chemical substances.
Properly recycling e-waste is important from a human perspective because many of the toxic materials it releases are known to harm people. Pregnant women, their unborn children, and young children are especially vulnerable to e-waste toxins such as lead and mercury. Young children are often exposed to harmful toxins from e-waste, as these materials are frequently sent to developing countries where they are handled in unsafe conditions. Despite international regulations aimed at preventing such practices, children are still involved in sorting, dismantling, and burning e-waste, putting their health at serious risk.
How is E-Waste Recycled?
Manual sorting
The first step in a typical e-waste recycling process is manual sorting. Workers will manually go through e-waste and sort items into categories based on the type of device and model. Devices in each category are then examined for parts that can be salvaged. Recovered parts can be resold or recombined to create new devices.
De-manufacturing
E-waste that cannot be recovered is then sent through the process known as de-manufacturing. This involves disassembling a device into its parts, with the primary goal of removing any hazardous materials. In addition to removing toxins, de-manufacturing removes anything that might be hazardous to the recycling process. For instance, the toner used in printers is highly flammable and can explode if sent to the next step in the process: mechanical shredding.
Mechanical shredding and material separation
Massive machines shred the remaining e-waste into small bits. Metal pieces are then extracted using a powerful magnet so they can be recycled. Paramagnetic materials that are weakly attracted to magnets are then extracted using an electric current. Plastics and other remaining materials are separated again using water. Low-density materials like plastics will float, while high-density materials like glass will sink. These separated materials are then examined for further processing or waste storage.
Challenges in E-Waste Recycling
The biggest challenge in e-waste recycling is the nature of modern electronic devices. Many of today's devices are not well-suited to conventional recycling processes. Mobile phones and wearables are light and thin, with batteries and other components that cannot be easily removed. This makes the physical handling and processing of these devices very difficult. Even larger devices like televisions contain many small components that must be extracted.
The toxic nature of many electronic devices also makes for a significant challenge. Human workers must be protected from exposure to these toxic substances. Even though they are exposed at relatively low levels, constant exposure over time can be hazardous.
Because of these challenges related to the physical processing of e-waste, it is often sent to other countries where labor is cheaper and there are fewer worker protections. This has its own ethical challenge. It can also be a legal challenge if the processing of e-waste in developing countries involves the use of children.
Recent Developments in E-Waste Recycling
Many recent developments in areas of research are focused on more efficient e-waste recycling processes.
These developments are probably best exemplified by a European project called CROCODILE, which is focused on recovering precious metals from urban stockpiles of e-waste. Described as urban mining, CROCODILE aims to develop a secondary supply chain for digital devices by recycling e-waste.
CROCODILE is particularly focused on recovering cobalt. The project has recruited schedules and organizations in the cobalt supply chain to help develop a pilot plant to recover cobalt from discarded devices. One aspect of that pilot plant will be a modular recycling facility that can be transported to different e-waste recycling sites.
The Future of E-Waste Recycling
E-waste is a major problem for society that is only getting bigger. The entire recycling infrastructure is severely lacking and far too much e-waste ends up in landfills.
The future of e-waste recycling largely depends on participation at the individual and organizational levels. Individuals can do their part by properly recycling their mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices. Steps to take include:
- Postponing device upgrades for as long as possible
- Handing down old devices to family, friends, or charity
- Returning old electronics for store credit, if possible
- Dropping off old devices at a designated e-waste facility
When done collectively as a society, these seemingly minor steps can go a long way to addressing the challenges of e-waste and building a better future.
References and Further Reading
California Department of Toxic Substances Control. (Retrieved 2025 January 2). Electronic Hazardous Waste (E-Waste). https://dtsc.ca.gov/electronic-hazardous-waste/
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (Retrieved 2024 July 16). Electronics Donation and Recycling. https://www.epa.gov/recycle/electronics-donation-and-recycling
World Health Organization. (2024, October 1). Electronic waste (e-waste). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/electronic-waste-(e-waste)
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