E Waste

In today's high paced modern world, technology is moving faster and faster and boosting the speed of our everyday lives. Every eight months there is a new model of some type of technological device reaching the market and the old is being discarded as it is unable to keep up with our fast paced society. Where have the millions of old, unwanted computers and other electronics gone? Many have suspected, that relatively few old PC's are being recycled and that most are stored in warehouses, basements, and closets or have met there end in municipal landfills or incinerators. In recent years a great deal of attention has been devoted to the environmental impact of computers and other electronic equipment as these items pose a massive problem for landfills and human life.
E-waste is comprised of waste from office electronic equipment such as computers, entertainment devices such as television sets, electronics, mobile phones and refrigerators and other home appliances. It is important to be aware that the end-life disposal and management of these gadgets and appliances pose a great threat to the human health and the environment.
The structure of e-waste is complex and its components are difficult to dispose. The main risks to human health and the environment come from the presence of flame retardants, heavy metal, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other hazardous substances. Of the approximately one thousand different substances included in a typical PC, every computer contains five to eight pounds of lead. Exposure to lead and other toxic ingredients, such as mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants, and some plastics, may stun brain development, disrupt hormone functions, cause cancer, or affect reproduction.
While most of the e-waste ends up in the landfill, some are being passed on through trading. It usually starts from illegal e-waste trade and then passed on to traders or refurbishes and then finally, to informal recyclers. These informal recyclers...