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DoomsdaysCW

ICYMI - From 2017

Levels of #EWaste soar in #Asia as gadgets become affordable, UN says

Amount of electronic waste up 63% in five years, with China’s more than doubling, United Nations University report finds

Agence France-Presse
Sun 15 Jan 2017 11.29 EST

"Levels of #ElectronicWaste are rising sharply across #Asia, as higher incomes mean hundreds of millions of people can afford #smartphones and other #gadgets, according to a UN study.

"The amount of e-waste in Asia has risen by 63% in five years, a report by United Nations University said, warning of the need to improve #recycling and disposal methods across the region to prevent serious #environmental and health consequences.

"Ruediger Kuehr, the report’s co-author and head of UNU’s sustainable cycles programme, said: 'For many countries that already lack infrastructure for environmentally sound e-waste management, the increasing volumes are a cause for concern.'

"For many years, China and other Asian countries have recycled discarded electronics from wealthier countries in rudimentary and often unsafe factories.

"But the report said Asia has become a major source of e-waste due to increasingly affluent #consumers buying electronic items including #phones, #tablets, #refrigerators, #computers and #televisions.

"China’s generation of e-waste more than doubled between 2010 and 2015, the period of the study, according to the report.

"#HongKong generated the highest amount of e-waste in Asia in 2015, an average of 21.7kg (3.4st) per person.

"#Singapore and #Taiwan created just over 19kg per person in 2015.

"#Cambodia, #Vietnam and the #Philippines were among the lowest e-waste generators, with an average of about 1kg per person."

theguardian.com/environment/20

The Guardian · Levels of e-waste soar in Asia as gadgets become affordable, UN saysBy Guardian staff reporter
#Consumerism#Capitalism#Crapitalism
Public
DoomsdaysCW

ICYMI - From 2016

The Burning Truth Behind an #EWasteDump in #Africa

Ending the #toxic smoke rising from an iconic dump in #Ghana will take more than curbing Western waste

by Adam Minter
January 13, 2016

"They are some of the most iconic photos in environmental journalism: young African men, often shirtless, standing over small fires fueled by digital detritus imported from richer countries. The toxic smoke swirls around them and over #Agbogbloshie, the roughly 20-acre scrap yard in the heart of #AccraGhana, where these men live and work.

"During the last decade, some of the world’s most respected media organizations have transformed Agbogbloshie into a symbol of what’s believed to be a growing crisis: the export—or dumping—of electronic waste from rich, developed countries into Africa. It’s a concise narrative that resonates strongly in a technology-obsessed world. There’s just one problem: The story is not that simple..."

Read more:
smithsonianmag.com/science-nat

#ElectronicWaste #SupportLegacyProducts #Consumerism #Capitalism #Crapitalism #CorporateColonialism
#PlannedObsolescence
#Landfills #RightToRepair #EnvironmentalRacism #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #RepairReuseRecycle
#Consumerism
#Anticonsumerism #EnvironmentalPollution

Smithsonian Magazine · The Burning Truth Behind an E-Waste Dump in AfricaBy Adam Minter
Public *
DoomsdaysCW

How Soaring E-Waste Pollution Is Putting Lives at Risk

by April Miller
Mar 3rd 2022

The Growing Amount of E Waste Pollution

"The proper disposal of electronics is a heated topic in the minds of those looking to live more sustainably and reduce their carbon footprint. As more devices come out each year, it only adds to the amount of e-waste generated. Consider how #Apple, #Huawei, #Samsung, #Google and other companies release several new phone models annually. Older models then become #obsolete and must be disposed of properly.

"Statista reports that the amount of e-waste generated worldwide was around 54 million metric tons in 2019. Due to increased spending power and the wide availability of electronics, e-waste is becoming the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide. It’s estimated that generation will increase by 30% by 2030.

"These figures make sense, considering how common it is for people to throw away small electronic devices along with their other trash. However, most are not aware of opportunities to recycle electronics, what environmental impact they’re making by throwing away e-waste or how much cash they can earn by selling it.

How E Waste Harms the #Environment and Our #Health

"Why is e-waste becoming a more prevalent issue worldwide? #ElectronicWaste poses unique ecological concerns. Most e-waste contains #HazardousChemicals, and the manufacturing processes may also harm the #environment.

"When e-waste ends up in a #landfill, the surrounding #soil can become #contaminated with #toxic substances such as #mercury, #cadmium, #beryllium and #lead. These chemicals enter the soil, waterways and air, leading to polluted environments and negatively impacting human and #marine life.

"Consider people who use natural wells or the animals who rely on bodies of water. They could be exposed to toxic chemicals that can impact their health.

"It’s also important to note that when high volumes of e-waste enter landfills, device manufacturers must mine more materials to build new devices. #Phones and other #electronics contain small amounts of valuable metals like #gold, #silver and #palladium, among other critical components. These materials are becoming harder to mine, especially with the increased demand for more electronic devices.

How E Waste Contributes to #Air Pollution

One journal from Environmental Research Letters reported that researchers took air samples from a large e-waste disposal site in #China and found that the products in these landfills harmed human #lung cells.

"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these are some adverse health effects caused by exposure to e-waste:

- Negative birth outcomes for expecting mothers, such as #stillbirth or #premature birth
- Increased rates of #ADHD in young children
- Changes in lung function
- #DNA damage
- Respiratory issues
- Impaired thyroid function
- Increased risk of chronic diseases like #cancer and #cardiovascular disease

"Additionally, the WHO reports that appropriate collection and #recycling of e-waste can help protect the environment and human health.

"Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) found that 17.4% of e-waste that was collected appropriately prevented as much as 15 million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere. High levels of carbon dioxide entering the environment and therefore contributing to global warming make it clear that e-waste is a much larger issue than some believe it to be. It may seem easy to toss away old electronics in the trash, but doing so negatively affects the environment and can harm human health.

Recycling Electronics to Benefit Humans and the Environment

"More state and federal action is needed to reduce the negative impact e-waste has on humans and the environment. So far, around 25 US states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to establish an e-waste recycling programme. Additionally, several manufacturers offer some type of electronic return initiative, with some hosting or sponsoring recycling events for consumers.

"Many manufacturers have adopted more #sustainable business practices to prevent outdated devices from entering landfills. However, this can be challenging, considering how often users want to upgrade to the latest technology due to new features and designs.

Republicans and Democrats are pursuing laws that would make it easier for consumers to repair their devices, from vehicles to refrigerators to smartphones. This movement is being coined as the Right to Repair movement. Manufacturers often make it difficult for consumers to fix a wide range of products by limiting the availability of parts or limiting who can perform repairs.

The goal of the movement is to prohibit manufacturers from taking these measures. This can directly reduce the amount of e-waste entering landfills in the first place. Consumers would then be able to repair devices themselves, save money and avoid tossing obsolete products in the trash.

E-waste is a growing problem worldwide, and more emphasis should be put on the importance of recycling electronics. The benefits of recycling far outweigh the drawbacks. Governments, consumers and manufacturers need to find viable solutions to this prevalent issue. Whether it’s contaminated soil entering waterways or toxic chemicals released into the atmosphere, more work needs to be done to mitigate the negative effects e-waste causes."

earth.org/e-waste-pollution/

#ElectronicWaste #SupportLegacyProducts #Windows11 #Consumerism #Capitalism #Crapitalism
#PlannedObsolescence
#Landfills #RightToRepair #EnvironmentalRacism #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #RightToRepair
#RepairReuseRecycle
#Consumerism
#Anticonsumerism #EnvironmentalPollution

Earth.Org · How Soaring E-Waste Pollution Is Putting Lives at Risk | Earth.OrgUnchecked e waste pollution and disposal has a cascade effect on human health, the natural environment and even the Earth's natural rhythms.
Public
DoomsdaysCW

‘Disturbing’: #weedkiller ingredient tied to #cancer found in 80% of US urine samples

CDC study finds #glyphosate, controversial ingredient found in weedkillers including popular #Roundup brand, present in samples

by Carey Gillam
Sat 9 Jul 2022 05.30 EDT

"The health impacts of glyphosate are disputed and the CDC report makes no observation about what the detected levels mean in terms of human health outcomes. However, its work comes at a time of mounting concerns and controversy over how #pesticides in #food and #water impact human and #environmental health.

"Both the amount and prevalence of glyphosate found in human urine has been rising steadily since the 1990s when #Monsanto Co. introduced genetically engineered crops designed to be sprayed directly with Roundup, according to research published in 2017 by University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

"Paul Mills, the lead researcher of that study, said at the time there was 'an urgent need' for a thorough examination of the impact on human health from glyphosate in foods people commonly consume.

"More than 200 million pounds of glyphosate are used annually by #US #farmers on their fields. The weedkiller is sprayed directly over genetically engineered crops such as #corn and #soybeans, and also over non-genetically engineered crops such as #wheat and #oats as a desiccant to dry crops out prior to harvest. Many farmers also use it on fields before the growing season, including #spinach growers and #almond producers. It is considered the most widely used herbicide in history.

"Residues of glyphosate have been documented in an array of popular foods made with crops sprayed with glyphosate, including #BabyFood The primary route of exposure for #children is through the diet."

theguardian.com/us-news/2022/j
#EU #USA #Canada #WaterIsLife #ToxicPesticides #Herbicides #SoilIsLife

The Guardian · ‘Disturbing’: weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samplesBy Carey Gillam
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