E-Waste: A Serious Problem Needing Innovative Solutions

How often do you purchase a new phone or a new gadget? And what do you do with discarded electronic devices? There is a growing population of consumers wanting the latest models of electronic devices irrespective of their functional capabilities. But that is not the only problem. The lack of recycling of these products has become a severe environmental and health concern facing the world.

As per the UN’s Global E-Waste Monitor 2020, a record 53.4 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste – products with batteries or plugs – was generated worldwide in 2019. Of these, only 17% were recorded as formally collected and recycled. Asia produced the largest volume (22.6Mt), followed by the Americas (11.9Mt), Europe (10.9Mt), Africa (2.6Mt) and Oceania (0.6Mt). With the current trends of more consumption and shorter lifecycles, the total e-waste is likely to reach 75Mt in 2030, which is an alarming figure considering the unsafe handling of used electronics and e-waste in many developing countries that harms human health and the environment.

For every million mobile phones recycled, roughly 35,270lb of copper, 772lb of silver, 75lb of gold, and 33lb of palladium could be recovered. However, many times, the open-air burning and acid bath methods used to recover these materials expose workers to irreversible health effects, including cancers and neurological damage. The studies have also indicated how e-waste lead and mercury exposure can impair children’s cognitive abilities and cause premature or stillbirths. On the environmental front, when left in landfills, the toxic materials directly seep into the soil.

On the brighter side, several companies are working innovatively to recycle electronic waste and maintain a cleaner atmosphere. Fairphone, a Dutch electronics manufacturer, incorporates recycled and responsibly mined materials from the source in their phones and other items. Their designs consider longevity, easy repair, and modular upgrades to ensure people use the device for a longer time. Similarly, another brand, House of Marley, was created in collaboration with the Marley family to honour Bob Marley’s love for music and the planet. The brand uses responsibly sourced materials, including Bamboo and REWIND™ fabric (30% reclaimed organic cotton, 30% reclaimed hemp fabric, and 40% recycled PET), recycled aluminium, reclaimed silicone, FSC-certified wood, and organic cork fabric, items which are biodegradable or easier to recycle, and manufacture headphones, speakers, and other accessories.

ATTERO is another example of an excellent innovator in this space. It is India’s largest electronic asset management company and through the power of creativity and innovation, the company is rethinking, redesigning, restoring and reusing resources from end-of-life electronics and lithium-ion batteries in an eco-friendly manner. It uniquely recovers high-quality minerals using best-in-class patented technology with an extraction efficiency of 98%. It is also developing and empowering the informal sector of waste-pickers for inclusive growth by mentoring them to be responsible e-captains. Its CLEAN e-INDIA campaign connects stakeholders across the value chain, including consumers, waste pickers and aggregators. ATTERO is the first electronic asset management company approved by the UNFCCC to earn award carbon credits for recycling e-waste. Its work is now impacting several SDGs, which include sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, decent work and economic growth, clean water and sanitation, and good health and well-being.

While companies and governments are doing their part to incentivize electronics recycling, we should all work to keep discarded electronics out of landfills. The simple solutions of scrapping the products at dedicated e-waste recycling facilities, finding reuse opportunities, and, most importantly, postponing the upgrades until necessary could make all the difference in reducing the growing concern about e-waste.