E-Waste Surge in Undeveloped Nations

The surging problem of e-waste in undeveloped parts of the world needs to be addressed urgently, UN officials have said. In a new report issued on February 22nd 2010, the organisation highlighted how mountains of discarded electrical components were being created in Africa, and in the likes of India and China.

In India especially, e-waste levels could rise almost five-times over in the coming decade (four-times over in South Africa and China) and the consequence of this both here, and in other countries, could be damage to the environment, as well as impaired human health.

The UN’s new e-waste study assessed current data relating to waste levels in 11 countries, and forecast potential future trends, too. Worldwide, it found that 40 millions of e-waste was being created each year, principally as a result of consistent consumer technology upgrades.

E-Waste: China

This year, it said, over two million tonnes of Chinese e-waste alone would probably be generated. This would rank China as the world’s second most-active e-waste producer (behind the US).

“Sales of electronic products in countries like China and India and across continents such as Africa and Latin America are set to rise sharply in the next 10 years”, the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) stated.

“And unless action is stepped up to properly collect and recycle materials, many developing countries face the spectre of hazardous e-waste mountains with serious consequences for the environment and public health.”

E-Waste Treatment

Improperly-treated e-waste can be a cause of toxins and carcinogens.

The UN report described the informality of some e-waste recycling methods. In China, for example, circuit boards and similar objects were being burnt in small-scale waste recyclers – and toxic pollution being caused as a result.

“This report gives new urgency to establishing ambitious, formal and regulated processes for collecting and managing e-waste via the setting up of large, efficient facilities in China”, Achim Steiner – under-secretary-general at the UN – stated.