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What do spoilt fridges, outdated phones, spent batteries and shattered light bulbs have in common? They're collectively known as e-waste! This type of waste deserves our special attention because of how much we generate every year, how harmful it can be towards our environment and how challenging it is to be recycled.
In 2019, the Global E-Waste Monitor found that Malaysians generated 364 kilotons of e-waste, or an average of 11.1 kg per person. While a far cry from how much e-waste each person in developed countries generates, it's still mountains' worth of waste to be sorted out every year. And it's going to get worse in the coming decades as more and more people have the means to embrace digital technologies.
So, why do we end up with so much of it in the first place? It's an open secret that the consumer electronics industry would rather have us buy something new rather than send it for repairs. This is reflected in shorter and shorter product warranties. How often have you found electronics worth repairing rather than just paying for a replacement?
Smart devices are also tempting to replace. You may realise you can't update them to the latest software. Or you could find it sluggish to run and the battery's draining way too fast. It's known as planned obsolescence in the industry when you can't update your older devices to the latest software and it gets progressively more sluggish over the years.
It's very tempting to dump your electronics into the bin before getting a replacement. Did you know most electronics have this symbol somewhere in their casing?
The symbol's there for a very good reason. Electronic components contain various toxic elements such as rare earth metals, lead, mercury and cadmium. Landfills and incinerators, the two common places for dealing with general waste will pose a problem. In a landfill, they will leach out and pollute the ground and surrounding water sources. Lead poisoning is a huge concern affecting wildlife around the world. Once incinerated, electronics will release dioxins and particulate matter that are harmful to breathe in the air around us.
All this can be avoided if we know where to recycle e-waste. It can be challenging as most recycling centres may not accept it. That said, there are few initiatives like ERTH and the IPC Recycling Buy-Back Centre where you can drop off your e-waste at. Let's work together to raise awareness of recycling e-waste!
