How can E-Waste be Dangerous?

In this digital age, electronic devices are becoming more and more important in our lives as they are a display of the constantly advancing technology of our world. Although electronic devices offer many benefits, issues arise when people try to recycle them as if they were normal waste (such as negatively affecting the environment and harming those who come in contact with it) due to the toxic and hazardous chemicals located inside of them. These chemicals can have profound effects if they are not disposed of properly, and we must bring attention to the dangerous and toxic substances in e-waste to prevent more humans from coming into contact with these hazardous materials and from continuing to harm our planet.

Some of the hazardous materials located in e-waste include:

1. Toxic/Flammable Metals: Metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium are commonly found in e-waste and pose as major health risks to humans due to their toxic natures. Due to this, they are also capable of contaminating air, water and soil if they are not properly disposed (such as if they’re thrown out with the trash). In fact, these metals are toxic enough to cause damage to your nervous system (as well as your kidneys and lungs) and are also capable of causing cancer, and children in particular face more of a risk from these toxic substances than adults. Lithium in e-waste, commonly found in the form of lithium-ion batteries, can also be very dangerous if mishandled, as the batteries could react to air by releasing toxic gases and start a fire if they are not disposed of properly and could even explode if the battery gets too hot.
2. CFCs: Commonly known as chlorofluorocarbons, they were commonly found in refrigerators and air conditioners and damage the ozone layer in our atmosphere. This leads to an increase in the amount of harmful UV light and radiation that we receive from the Sun, as the ozone layer is responsible for protecting our planet from these dangers from outer space.
3. Flame Retardants: Added to electronic devices to reduce the risk of fire, flame retardants release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere when they are burned. Flame retardants also accumulate in the environment as they take a very long time to break down, and so humans and animals are at a high risk of having higher concentrations of these chemicals entering their bodies if they were to come in contact with them. Flame retardants also can contaminate soil or water by seeping from their products by being released as dust particles or through volatilization (where the chemicals from the flame retardants turn into vapors that move into the atmosphere). Due to the many ways that flame retardants can escape their products, they pose a significant health risk towards any organism that comes into interaction with them while they are in the form of e-waste.

As e-waste contains many hazardous materials that are a major health risk for humans as well as these materials having a major impact on our atmosphere (from their chemicals releasing into the atmosphere), it is essential that we educate ourselves on how to properly dispose of e-waste before the negative effects severely damage our environment and cause health issues for people all over the world.