{"id":1388,"date":"2024-03-15T08:40:48","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T08:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redstarwealth.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1388"},"modified":"2024-08-12T15:39:08","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T14:39:08","slug":"e-waste-part-2-of-a-2-part-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redstarwealth.co.uk\/blog\/e-waste-part-2-of-a-2-part-series\/","title":{"rendered":"E-Waste: Part 2 of a 2-part Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

E-waste is a significant global issue, which the UK plays an enormous part in. This blog is part 2 in a 2-part blog series where we discuss all things e-waste.<\/p>\n

E-Waste Harms<\/h2>\n

Many nations, including the UK, export electronic waste material to other countries to deal with, where a lack of labour laws and health and safety requirements mean those who process the waste for metal and mineral extraction are not adequately protected.<\/p>\n

In fact, Uswitch estimated that around 40% of the UK\u2019s e-waste is illegally exported to be disposed in other countries.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u2018A New Circular Vision for Electronics \u2013 Time for a Global Reboot\u2019<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

\u201cWhat we need is to be manufacturing products here and keeping a better handle on where materials are within particular products. We should be designing them so they are more readily recyclable \u2013 better labelling and construction would allow componentry to be more readily reused and precious minerals, rescued from landfill\u201d <\/em><\/strong>\u2013 <\/em>Professor Richard Herrington, Head of Earth Sciences at the National History Museum\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

E-waste puts both the environment and workers in danger.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cE-waste can be toxic, is not biodegradable and accumulates in the environment, in the soil, air, water and living things. For example, open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components release toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can also expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, beryllium, thallium, cadmium and arsenic, and also brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs\u201d <\/strong>\u2013 Geneva Environment Network\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When improperly disposed in things like landfills, heavy metals from e-waste can contaminate the soil, reaching through to groundwater and making their way into streams, rivers and lakes. This creates acidification and toxification in the water which can lead to the deaths of plants and animals, and makes the water unsafe for human consumption too.<\/p>\n

E-waste is fast-growing and complex; it massively affects our environment and also has a negative impact on human health, as well as contributing to a loss of valuable raw materials.<\/p>\n

What Can We Do?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Here, we can see a new circular vision for electronics, taken from \u2018A New Circular Vision for Electronics \u2013 Time for a Global Reboot\u2019<\/a>. With this, we can see how e-waste is an issue that encompasses the entire lifecycle of electronic devices, meaning that we have a role we can play in this system to do our own part in reducing the harms of e-waste.<\/p>\n

Some easy steps you can take are to:<\/p>\n