E-WASTE: A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE

摘要

Central issue of the current study is electronic-waste (e-waste), which is emerging as a new environmental challenge for 21" century. The rapid growth of the electronic and IT industry, present consumer culture and increasing rates of consumption of electronic products have led to disastrous environmental consequences. E-waste, while recycling, may be hazardous because of toxicity of some of the substances it consists of. Some of the waste has been proven to contain many cancer-causing agents. The consequences and toxicity is due to discharge of lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium and other toxic substances. Developed countries export this waste in the form of donation to developing countries. China and India, where environmental standards are low, are the biggest recipients of e-waste, which in most cases, is processed illegally. The environmental burden of e-waste is born by people who live in developing countries, especially China and India, which processes the maximum amount of e-waste. Despite various laws and directives in developed countries, the e-waste management is uncontrolled. The present study focuses on the effect of usage, dumping and recycling of the electronic waste on the natural environment.