This paper investigates the effects of electronic and electrical product waste with an emphasis on India and China. The study is particularly aimed at providing a snapshot of workplace and environmental contamination from a selection of dump sites and industrial units.
The authors argue that expansion of the global market for electrical and electronic products continues to accelerate while the lifespan of products is dropping, resulting in a corresponding explosion in electronic scrap. Every year, 20 to 50 million tonnes of electric and electronic waste are generated world-wide while 4 million PC’s per year are discarded in China alone.
Key conclusions include:
- both wastes and hazardous chemicals used in processing are handles with little or no regard health and safety of workforce, surrounding communities and environment
- the problems in contamination are further exacerbated by poor working practices and lack of responsible waste management
- the European directive on Waste and Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) apply only regional restrictions covering only a fraction of all the hazardous substances used in electronic manufacturing
- manufacturers must develop and design clean products with longer life-spans that are safer, easier to repair, and recycle.