The Dark Side of Technology: E-Waste and its Challenges

Most of the world relies on technology. From smartphones to the internet, all of us enjoy the convenience provided by our gadgets, but we often like to forget about the dark side of the tech industry. Indeed, creating tech generates a great amount of waste, but what’s so dangerous about this specific pollution is the fact that it is made up of different components. The name “e-waste” was attributed to the tech industry’s garbage, and dealing with it is quite a challenge.??

What's special about e-waste

As previously mentioned, e-waste is the tech industry’s specific brand of waste. It encompasses anything from old phones to laptops to hard drives and all the equipment, chips, and hardware that is no longer useful. The challenge in recycling these components is that they contain a wide variety of materials, and each has its own recycling process. Let us look at phones for example, they contain plastic, gold, copper, silicon, cobalt, glass, lithium, as well as some other metals and synthetic materials. Due to this variety, it is difficult to throw phones in a recycling bin without dismantling them which is too difficult of a task for most laymen. Computers on the other hand get even more complex, and the recycling process cannot be executed smoothly. That said, hardware ending up in landfills is a disastrous scenario as the materials can be toxic not only for humans but also for the environment and wildlife as well. Further, most, if not all, of the materials used in the creation of electronics can be repurposed as the components’ value is preserved.??

What are we doing about it??

To begin with, e-waste has gained the attention of the mainstream media, which is always the first step in order to effect change in the 21st century. As such, many countries such as the US, the EU, China, and India have strict regulations for the collection, transportation, and recycling of electronic waste generated.??

Further, some recycling facilities have been made for the specific purpose of eliminating e-waste, and they are equipped with special machinery to dismantle and recycle different materials that make up electronic gadgets where valuable metals are recovered, and hazardous waste is disposed of properly. These facilities usually rely on automation through robotics and AI in order to make the process efficient and lower the costs of operation.??

The tools and technologies that these facilities use are fascinating. Take for instance Microwave Pyrolysis, where microwaves are used to break down e-waste into constituent parts, or base metals and plastics, this allows the recovery of high-purity materials. Another technique is Hydrometallurgy which is the combination of water and other chemicals to extract silver, gold, and copper with a high level of purity, and this process is more efficient than smelting and largely less harmful to the environment.??

A more experimental method that is still being researched is the use of microorganisms whose purpose would be to devour and digest plastics and other toxic metals which can then be extracted and recovered with a high degree of purity. This fascinating experiment can definitely reshape the way we recycle our wares, and though creative, its scalability might still be an issue at its current development stage.??

These are not the only means of fighting e-waste as more traditional means are also being employed. Take for example electronics buybacks and drop-off points for old wares that are considered useless, these are often refurbished by the issuing company, which not only provides a cheap alternative for those who cannot afford brand-new devices but is also a safe way of prolonging the lifecycle of electronic devices.??

Where does e-waste stand??

Just like any other field, when it comes to recycling, theory is always easier than practice. These proposed solutions are being used, but landfills and incinerators are still actively running whenever it is more convenient, or whenever these methods fail to be applied efficiently. In fact, it has been found that less than 20% of e-waste is being recycled, and if this trend is to be continued, by 2050, the situation will get out of hand.?

Conclusion?

All in all, e-waste is hazardous for many reasons, and it must be properly dealt with. What makes it stand out is its different components, and this creates a unique challenge for recycling factories worldwide. However, technology that is meant to solve that problem is being developed at a rapid pace. Also, when it comes to e-waste reduction, collective effort can play a key role unlike in other industries. Indeed, more than any other type of pollution, if the general masses were to exert a modicum of effort, it would astronomically slow down the rate at which e-waste is being generated.?