E Waste Management in Chennai (Electronic Waste)

Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is a variety of electrical and electronic equipment that is no longer valuable to its users or no longer serves its original purpose. Electronic waste (e-waste) products have lost their utility value through either redundancy, replacement, or wear and tear and include "white goods" such as refrigerators, washing machines, and microwaves, and "brown goods". "Like TV, radio, computer, both are included. and cell phone. Given that the information and technology revolution has rapidly increased the use of new electronic equipment, it has also produced an increasing amount of obsolete products; E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams. Although e-waste contains complex combinations of highly toxic substances that pose health and environmental hazards, many products also contain recoverable precious materials, making it a different type of waste than traditional municipal waste.

Globally, e-waste accounts for more than 5 percent of all municipal solid waste and is increasing with the increase in sales of electronic products in developing countries. Most of the world's e-waste is recycled in developing countries, where informal and dangerous arrangements for the extraction and sale of metals are common. Recycling companies in developed countries face stricter environmental regulatory regimes and rising costs of waste disposal and thus exports to small traders in developing countries may be more profitable than recycling in their own countries. There is also significant illegal cross-border movement of e-waste in the form of donations and donations from prosperous industrialized countries to developing countries. Loose environmental laws, corrupt officials and low-paid workers can allow e-waste profiteers to make substantial profits, and develop policies and strategies for safely disposing and recycling e-waste to achieve a sustainable future. urgent need to do.

Impact on Human Health

The complex structure and improper management of e-waste adversely affects human health. A growing body of epidemiological and clinical evidence has raised concerns about the potential threat of e-waste to human health, especially in developing countries such as India and China. Primitive methods used by unregulated backyard operators (eg, the informal sector) to retrieve, reprocess and recycle e-waste materials expose workers to a number of toxic substances. Processes such as decontamination, wet chemical processing, and incineration are used and result in direct exposure and inhalation of harmful chemicals. Safety equipment such as gloves, face masks and ventilation fans are virtually unknown, and workers often have little idea what they are handling.

Environmental Impacts

Although electronics are an essential part of everyday life, their dangerous effects on the environment cannot be ignored or underestimated. The interface between electrical and electronic equipment and the environment occurs during the manufacturing, reprocessing and disposal of these products. The emission of fumes, gases and particulate matter into the air, discharge of liquid waste into water and drainage systems, and disposal of hazardous waste contribute to environmental degradation. Apart from stringent regulation of recycling and disposal of e-waste, there is a need for policies that extend the responsibility of all stakeholders, especially producers, beyond the point of sale and till the end of the product life.

There are several specific ways in which recycling e-waste can be harmful to the environment. Burning to remove metal from wires and cables releases brominated and chlorinated dioxins, which cause air pollution. During the recycling process in the informal sector, toxic chemicals that have no economic value are simply thrown away. Toxic industrial waste is dumped into underground aquifers and severely affects local groundwater quality, making the water unsuitable for human consumption or agricultural purposes. Atmospheric pollution is caused by decomposition activities as dust particles loaded with heavy metals and flame retardants enter the atmosphere. These particles are either reabsorbed near the emission source (wet or dry deposition) or, depending on their size, can be carried over long distances. Dust can also enter soil or water systems and, along with compounds found in wet and dry deposits, can seep into the ground and cause both soil and water pollution. Soil becomes toxic when substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulate in landfills.

Classification

E-waste e management in Chennai can be classified on the basis of its composition and components. There are six categories of materials reported for the composition of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass, plastics, pollutants, and other e-waste. iron and