E-Waste Development in Developing Countries.
If first-world countries aren’t able to effectively recycle, how are developing countries doing?
Not good.
In fact, many first-world countries are dumping mass amounts of e-waste into developing countries in Asia and Africa. The effects are devastating.
The U.S. exports much of its waste to Guiyu China, harming its population and polluting its environment. Old devices contain lead and mercury, so when bunched up all in one place it has a significant impact on the environment; and with new technology being developed, lots of old technologies are being discarded.
The e-waste recycling centers in China use outdated and inefficient methods to recycle the waste: dumping electronics into rivers or burning them. Components of discarded electronics are mishandled mainly because China does not have the proper resources to handle this waste. China has recycling centers but they are not able to handle e-waste properly.
China and other developing countries that lack the proper methods and infrastructure to handle e-waste are ultimately falling into a rut with a large amount of e-waste piling on top of them. The environment gets severely impacted, mainly due to the fact that most of the e-waste that is exported is unable to be reused. This is why most of the waste goes into rivers.
Although the abundance of e-waste provides job opportunities for many people in the countries; it comes at the risk of the workers’ health. Direct exposure to e-waste causes stillbirths, premature births, and lower birth weights. It also increases the chances of mutations and malformations to occur.
E-waste directly impacts lung function, damages DNA, and also increases the risk of cancer. The food given out near/in such e-waste recycling centers contain immense amounts of radiation increasing the risk of such diseases.
Many kids are near such sites e-waste recycling centers and this has dangerous effects on their bodies, slowing their growth. Women who also work in e-waste recycling centers increase the risk of their unborn children being greatly affected by these discarded devices.
E-waste is a growing and dangerous problem in developing countries, because, unlike first-world countries these countries lack the adequate resources and infrastructure to combat the dangerous effects of e-waste.
