Precious metals, which are feared to be depleted in the future, lie in unexpected places. That place is electrical and electronic equipment waste (E-wasteorWEEE:Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment(hereinafter referred to as "e-waste") in the mountains. E-waste is increasing every year,2019In the year 2000, the world53.6 million tonsThe amount of recyclable metal resources included in this amount is estimated to have been discharged. The amount of recyclable metal resources included in this amount is estimated to beUS$57 billionThis shows how problematic the current utilization of resources is. Furthermore, e-waste that is not properly disposed of generates toxic substances, which are harmful to the environment and humans. In this article, we will explore what kind of situation the world is in when it is buried under e-waste.
Discarded foundations (Photo: Rwanda Green Fund / Flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0])
Table of Contents
What is electronic equipment and electronic waste?
First, we will take a closer look at what e-waste is. There are many different sources of e-waste, and the United Nations University has(i)Temperature-exchange equipment (refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.),(2)LCD products (TVs, desktop computers, etc.),(iii)Lighting fixtures (LED(light bulbs, fluorescent lamps, etc.),4)Large equipment (washing machines, electric heaters, etc.),5)Small equipment (vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, etc.),6)tinyITequipment and communication devices (smartphones, routers, etc.), ofSix categoriesThe company is doing so.
The volume of such e-waste is increasing rapidly, and this background can be considered in two main stages. The first stage of e-waste growth is the increased use of electronic devices. In recent years, global consumption of electronic devices has averagedApprox. 2.5 million tonsIt is estimated that the number of people in the world is increasing at an increasing rate. One possible factor is the increase in the world population. In addition to this, three other factors, income growth, industrialization, and urbanization, areaffectThe company is doing so.
Let's look more closely at the background driving the increase in electronics consumption. First, the overall global middle class population (note (supplementary information) symbol(1) are on the rise.2000As of 2006, the world's middle class population was about15billion people, though,2015Doubled in 2010 to approx.30It is said to have reached 100 million.datahave been announced. The increase in the economically affluent segment of the population has also increased the opportunity for these people to purchase electronic devices, which in turn has boosted the consumption of electronic devices worldwide. Next.industrializationBy,productivityis rising, and large volumes of productslow priceIt is now possible to make them in This allowed consumers to obtain electronic devices at a lower cost. And as the world rapidlyurbanizationThe increase in consumption of electronic devices is not unrelated to the increase in the number of people who live in urban areas. Because urban areas have better infrastructure and access to electricity than rural areas, people living in urban areas use more electronic devices than those living in rural areastrendThere are number of people living in urban areas in the world,1950Since the year2008700 million by the year5,100From 10,000,00042Up to 100 million peopleincreaseThe world's population is said to have grown in the past 50 years. Factors such as rising incomes, industrialization, and urbanization have increased the number of people with access to electronic devices worldwide.
Discarded and exported cell phones to Ghana (Photo: Fairphone / Flickr [CC BY-NC 2.0])
The second phase of the increase in e-waste is the shortening span of time between use and disposal. For example, in the U.S.dataAccording to,1997As of 2006, the average length of use of a desktop computer unit was4~6In 2006, the monitor was6~7Whereas it was a year,2005In 2006, both products averaged2It had only been in use for about two years. Behind the shortened usage period are the intentions of various parties, including producers, retailers, and consumers. Among them, focusing on the consumer's point of view, the reasons for buying a new product can be divided into three types: economic, technological, and psychological reasonsClassification.The first reason is economic. Considering economic reasons first, it is not uncommon for customers to buy a new product without repairing it because the cost of repair is almost the same as the price of a new product or the cost of repair is higher. Technical reasons also include cases where functional inconveniences occur due to long-term use. Specifically, the product support ends due to software updates, or parts are no longer manufactured and can no longer be repaired, making it impossible to continue to use the existing product. The last is psychological, and related to the second technical reason, there are purchases based on pure greed, such as "I want something better.
While these appear to be the reasons why consumers purchase new electronic devices as their own choice, this choice may be acted upon by other actors. One of these is the producer's "choice" to purchase aplanned obsolescence(in Japanese history)planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence (1). Planned obsolescence is the process of intentionally making repairs more expensive or shortening the life of a product at the design stage in order to encourage consumers to buy new products, thereby forcing them to change models frequentlycreate a situationThis refers to the fact that Against this backdrop, the usage period of a single electronic device is gradually becoming shorter and shorter. This has led to an increase in the overall amount of newly purchased and discarded electronic equipment.
State of the World
We have looked at the causes of the increase in e-waste, but how much electronic equipment do people around the world actually use and dispose of? And how much of what is disposed of is recovered and recycled?
First, let's take a closer look at global electronics consumption. Global electronics consumption, excluding solar panels, averages annually atApprox. 2.5 million tonsIt has been calculated that the number of users has been increasing by There are significant differences in usage between high-income and low-income countries. In some eNumber of units ownedrefrigerators in high-income countries when compared to the0.7counter for machines, incl. vehicles/People, Smartphones1.4counter for machines, incl. vehicles/people, but in low-income countries, refrigerators0.02counter for machines, incl. vehicles/People, Smartphones0.6counter for machines, incl. vehicles/The ownership rate of people.
Students with one computer each (Photo: Brett jordan / Flickr [CC BY 2.0])
As consumption increases, so does waste. According to the United Nations University, global e-waste generation is2010in the year33.8 million tonsThe first was,2020In the year55.5 million tonsThis number has increased to This figure is2030In the year74.7 million tonsThe number of such cases is estimated to be as high as 1.5 times the number of the previous year (*2) In other words, according to this prediction,2010Year - to2030Up to the year20emissions per year.2This means that it will be more than twice as large.
How is such a large amount of electronic equipment disposed of? The disposalrootare considered to be four main ones. routes for each of them,(i)Officially collected and recycled in accordance with national laws,(2)Disposed of as general waste without special treatment,(iii)They are collected and recycled in a manner not permitted by national law,4)There is no national legislation and the informal sector (note (supplementary information) symbol(3), and then disposed of by (4). Of these, the appropriate route is(i)However, this route does not exist in countries that do not have a legal system for the disposal of e-waste. In addition, even in countries with legal systems, this route is sometimes avoided to reduce economic and time costs. In such cases(2)~ (after a number N)4)routes are used.
of e-waste generated worldwide,(i)Those that follow the regular disposal route of the2019Only at the point of17.4%(93010,000 tons)It is believed that the The remaining82.6%(in Japanese history)4,430(10,000 tons) were not recorded,(2)~ (after a number N)4)The waste is believed to have been disposed of through inappropriate channels in the Top emitters10A review of the graphs showing the countries shows that India, Brazil, Russia, and Indonesia have by far the least amount of e-waste that is properly collected. In India, there are laws and regulations regarding the disposal of e-waste, but not enoughNot functioning.The following are some of the most important countries in the world. In addition, Brazil, Russia, and Indonesia have domestic laws and regulations regarding the disposal of e-waste.Does not exist.The recycling rate in these countries is extremely low. Therefore, the lack of formal means of collection in these countries in the first place has created extremely low recycling rates.
As noted above, most e-waste is(2)~ (after a number N)4)These e-wastes may be disposed of domestically or exported out of the country. When e-waste is exported, it is often from high-income countries that have legal systems for e-waste disposal to low-income countries that do not.numerous... However, it stipulates that the export of electronic equipment as waste, including hazardous substances, is prohibitedBasel ConventionThis would be a violation of the Since the Convention prohibits the export of e-waste other than usable used goods, except with the consent of the counterpart country, there should normally be no mass export of e-waste. However, large quantities of waste are concealed as waste and disguised as used goods or scrap.exportThe reality is that the waste is being of e-waste collected in high-income countries.about80%are reportedly exported to low-income countries. Because some of this trade is conducted illegally, it is not possible to obtain accurate data on e-waste exported. In this context, in order to determine the status of e-waste exportsBasel Action Network(in Japanese history)BAN：Basel Action NetworkAn organization called "The Positive Action Group" is working on an initiative. The initiative is to provide electronic devices before they are thrown away with aGPSIt follows the disposal process by attaching the actualAmerica, ,Australia, ,CanadaSuch investigations were conducted in such places as the following. The investigations have confirmed that the discarded electronics were in fact exported out of the country.
Problems Caused by E-Waste
As we have seen, very few cases of e-waste are disposed of in a proper manner. And the large amount of e-waste that is not properly disposed of is causing serious problems that affect the entire world. Let's take a look at what kind of problems are occurring, and divide them into three categories.
The first issue concerns metal resources. As noted at the beginning of this section, e-waste hasMany metalsare contained in the waste, and although it is technically possible to recycle them, it is not currently being done. Due to the large amount of resources buried in the ground, piles of e-waste are "theurban mineIt is also referred to as "the Some types of metals are more likely to be already mined than those that have not yet been mined.numerousSome metals are considered to be in short supply. In addition, some metals are already in short supply, and various metals are predicted to be depleted in the future. For example, copper (Cu), lead (pb), zinc (Zn), gold (Au), silver (Ag), tin (SnIt is estimated that mining of minerals, such as those in the United States, will exceed the current technological and economic mining capacity by around 2050 (*4). This means that mining and mineral exploration using current technology will not be profitable in terms of costs and revenues.
People burning waste in Agbogbrosi, Ghana (Photo: Fairphone / Flickr [CC BY-NC 2.0])
The second problem with the mass disposal of e-waste is environmental.affectThere are As previously mentioned, much of the e-waste is generated in low-income countriesexportHowever, the e-waste received is incinerated, landfilled, or the metal resources are removed by local people in an inappropriate manner. However, if these e-wastes are handled improperly, they can contaminate a wide range of environments, including air, water, and soil. Proper extraction of metal resources requires equipment and tools for this purpose. However, many people involved in the disposal of e-waste in low-income countries burn electronic device components, including plastics, to extract recyclable metals in an environment that lacks the equipment and tools to do so. Incinerating plastics releases dioxins and other toxic substances and dust particles into the air, leading to widespread air pollution. In addition, if landfilled, mercury, lead, and other contaminants permeate the soil, resulting in long-term soil contamination. Furthermore, contaminants that permeate the soil reach the groundwater, contaminating plant systems, and eventually flow out into rivers and other bodies of water, causing water pollution. Plants and animals living in such a polluted environment will be affected by the pollution for a long period of time,Maintain ecosystemsitself is also in jeopardy.
The third problem is to the human body.(suffering) damageThis is an environmental problem. This is an inseparable issue from environmental problems, and this damage isPolluted airThis is not limited to respiratory diseases caused by breathing in the Due to the food chain, humans end up ingesting contaminants on a daily basis. This not only increases the risk of cancer and infectious diseases, but also stillbirths and premature births during pregnancy, and even if a child is safely born, the nervous system andDNAwith congenital defects such asThere is a high possibility thatBecomes.
Cases from Asia and Africa
Such damage has become a serious social problem in some regions. Here are some countries and regions where the situation is particularly serious.
Large quantities of e-waste imported in Thailand (Photo: baselactionnetwork / Flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0])
Among African countries that are among the main exporters of e-waste, Ghana and Nigeria are growing in size, and the area near the capital of Ghana (commonly known as Agbogbrosi),World's largest e-waste processing plantIt is said that There is a stable supply of e-waste in the area, and the extraction and resale of metal resources is a source of income for the people. Again, however, the extraction is not done with proper maintenance and tools, and people routinely work in hazardous conditions. In Ghana, in an effort to generate economic benefits from e-waste disposal, the Ghanaian government has been paying e-waste importers an annual100 million U.S. dollarsThe company is trying to collect taxes on
Nigeria also has about5010,000 containers of e-waste every month.500counter for the ichi-ni-san counting system (usu. directly preceding the item being counted)It is estimated that as much as 1.5 million tons of waste is also being transported into the country. Here, as in Ghana, the dangerous practice of extracting metal resources from e-waste and reselling them is widespread,100,000 peopleThe industry has become so deeply rooted in society that it generates employment on a large scale.
In these informal treatment plants, burns and injuries associated with the work, as well as skin diseases, respiratory problems, and chronic headaches arereportThe workers' compensation system is also inadequate. However, because of the informal sector, there is no compensation system for workers' injuries and illnesses. Drugs are said to be used to drown out symptoms and pain.dataThere are also In addition, elevated heavy metal concentrations in the blood of workers involved in the processing of e-waste over a long period of timereportThe health hazards caused by this are immeasurable.
Indian workers disassemble e-waste with a grinder (Photo: Greenpeace India / Flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0])
Although they vary in size, these informal e-waste sites exist throughout the world, and in Asia the problem is particularly acute in India and Southeast Asian countries. In India, the largest e-waste dump in India is located in the Shiranpur district of New Delhi, the capital city of India.E-waste treatment plantThere are Here, as in other African countries, the processing of e-waste has become an industry,Approx. 50,000is working. However, India differs from African countries in that it not only receives e-waste from outside the country, but also produces a large amount of e-waste domestically. per year.8010,000 tonsMore than 1.5 million tons of e-waste are generated in India each year.30Despite the fact that emissions are increasing by 1% per year, the total amount of emissions is increasing due to inadequate laws and regulations.1.5%Only a few are recycled.
In addition, Southeast Asian countries have recently experienced a surge in e-waste imports. This is due to China's increasingly strict legal system for waste imports. In the past, the amount of e-waste generated in the worldabout70%were said to have been imported illegally, there was a processing plant in China of such a large scale that it was said that However20A process that spanned more than a year,2018In 2006, a law restricting the importation of waste was enacted. As a result, e-waste that has nowhere to go is less regulated.Southeast Asian countriesThe products were exported to For example, in Thailand2018Just from Australia in 2006.25 tons The company imports e-waste from the2017Compared to the previous year500times greater. Moreover, there are only regulations for hazardous waste generated by domestic industries, and e-waste from outside the country isReclaimed.The "C" is a term used to refer to a group of people who have been given a job. For this situation, E-waste imports in Thailand in 2020.prohibitionThere is a movement to do so. However, even if regulations are introduced in the countries that accept e-waste, the situation will not be fundamentally resolved unless regulations are implemented in the countries where e-waste is generated and exported. The ever-increasing amount of e-waste will be exported to less regulated countries in search of new disposal sites.
counter-measure
Now that we have touched on the environmental and social problems caused by e-waste, what is being done to improve the current situation? We will briefly introduce some of the developments from two aspects: institutional and technological.
Recycling facility in Rwanda (Photo: Rwanda Green Fund / Flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0])
Although problems still exist, various countries are putting systems in place for the disposal of electronic waste. The European Union (EUIn,2003Impose liability up to disposal on producers of electronic equipment in 2006.WEEE Directiveis in effect. In addition,2019In 2006, the "TheRight to RepairThe repairable period for appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines (based on the concept ofnote (supplementary information) symbol(5) Maximum10Laws that guarantee up to two years have been put into effect, and recently there have been moves to broaden the range of products that can be repaired. In addition, even in Africa, where many countries do not have regulations on e-waste, some countries, including Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana, have developed guidelines for disposal and facilities for recycling and repair over the past few years.provided forHowever, while Rwanda has passed a law on the management of e-waste, in Nigeria and Ghana, most disposal is still done by the informal sector. Also in India.2011The law on e-waste came into effect in 2006, and licensed recyclers80,000 tons per yearThe establishment of facilities has progressed to the extent that they are able to process However, as in Nigeria and Ghana, the majority of e-waste is disposed of by the informal sector and the facilities are not fully utilized.
The introduction of regulations and adequate processing capacity in the countries responsible for processing the world's e-waste can improve the situation, but they are not a fundamental solution. For a fundamental solution, the high-income countries that generate the e-waste that travels around the world need to address the problem. However, the world's top e-waste generatorsten kan (approx. 3.75 kg, 8.3 lb)enter a countryAmericahave not ratified the Basel Convention, and other measures in countries that generate and export e-waste remain inadequate.
There is also a movement toward technological solutions to the problems associated with e-waste disposal. For example, the use of microorganisms to extract metals from e-waste, "bioleachingThe technique, called "metal separation," is being studied. This method is known as an environmentally friendly method that uses microorganisms to dissolve and separate metals, extracting only the necessary materials. Other manufacturers are working to extend the life of electronic devices by making the products themselves easier to repair. For example, a smartphone (fairphone.) that has been designed to allow users to easily replace broken parts themselves without the need for specialized skills:Fairphone(see Figure 1).
Disassembled Fairphone (Photo: Fairphone / Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0])
summary
Disposal is not the only problem associated with electronic devices. Various problems exist from the mining of the mineral resources used as raw materials to the production process.GNV We have also introduced this issue in the following pages. Although some countries have begun to take action on the disposal of the electronic equipment discussed in this report, the scale and speed of such action are not sufficient in comparison to the severity of the problem. Furthermore, the fact that the countries that use and dispose of the most electronic devices are not seriously addressing the problem is a detriment to a fundamental solution. We must not forget that e-waste is directly linked not only to environmental problems and resource depletion, but also to threats to the lives and livelihoods of the world's vulnerable populations. We who use electronic devices on a daily basis are being asked to take responsibility for how we should deal with this problem.
1 Here, "middle class" is defined as having a per capita daily income of10U.S. Dollar100Refers to persons in U.S. dollars.
note 2 (supplementary information)2020years and ...2030The figures for the year are2019This is an estimate as of the year 2000.2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5As of May,2020No data were published for the year.
*3informal sector: An economics term referring to activities that are not formally recorded in the economic sector.
4 This situation isbased on reservesIt is also expressed that mining beyond this level is not realistic.
5 Ensure that repairs are not fundamentally impossible because the producer stops producing parts or other products.
Writer: Minami Ono
Graphics: Minami Ono
This is the first time I have heard of e-waste being exported to low-income countries. I believe that the challenge for companies that produce industrial products is to evaluate and design products not only for their environmental impact during production and operation, but also for their disposal process as a whole. I would like to pay attention to the development of material recycling technology.
It was interesting to read about the current situation in this kind of world, which I have not had much opportunity to learn about.
As I am aiming to become a teacher, I am not only studying subjects in schools and other educational settings,
It made me realize that it is necessary for students to think about global issues from the time they are students.
It is true that in recent years, smartphones are being replaced after two years, and the lifespan of electronic devices is getting shorter. I was struck by the fact that this trend was also designed by the producers' intentions.
There was mention of treaties and facilities in the section on countermeasures, and I felt that setting up such systems and facilities might promote the idea that "e-waste should be exported to developing countries and let them process it. It could spur the fact that "it is cheaper and easier for developed countries, which are given the responsibility of processing, to use developing countries" and "the work of extracting this metal is becoming a source of income as an industry (of sorts) within developing countries," and I felt that the problems associated with processing are not only the waste itself, but also the social I felt that it is necessary to look not only at the waste itself but also at the social structure of the society.
I learned that the disposal of e-waste is being forced on poor countries and that the event of planned obsolescence by producers is behind consumption behavior, all of which I was not aware of. I felt that it is necessary not only for consumers to review their consumption behavior, but also to understand the background of the problem and ask companies and governments to take countermeasures.
I was surprised at all the things I did not know, such as the existence of e-waste and the fact that its disposal is being forced on developing countries. I feel that along with more laws and regulations, we, the citizens of developed countries, must also change our awareness. I believe that the producers of electronic products do not want to make this kind of issue public, so consumers need to be proactive in researching and reviewing their own purchasing practices.
This article is the first I have read about such a low percentage of e-waste being properly recycled and the major problems that have arisen over the disposal of e-waste. Not only this issue, but I believe there are many examples of high-income countries taking advantage of low-income countries for their own convenience. I thought that we should carefully consider the "cradle to grave" of products by creating an international framework and having each country develop domestic laws and regulations.
I was surprised at the current situation of sending e-waste to low income countries. I felt that the reality that high-income countries are unaware of this is a problem.
Despite child labor and conflicts over the issue of conflict minerals in Africa, the international community was disposing of the resources lying in electronic devices without proper and effective utilization, adding to the environmental problems. society may be nominally doing its best to achieve the SDGs. However, as long as we are unaware of these events and do not discard e-waste properly without sorting it or enact laws, inequality will not improve, and environmental problems will persist even if electric vehicles are substituted. In Japan, not only e-waste but also various other wastes are exported to overseas countries, where they are processed. The best way is for us to learn about the current situation and take action. It may seem simple, but even that is difficult.
I felt impatient that many people in Japan, a high-income country, are unaware of the great fact that high-income countries are pushing processing on low-income countries.
I strongly felt that I should not forget that I was also a party to this.