Seeberger, J., Grandhi, R., Kim, S. S., Mase, W. A., Reponen, T., Ho, S.-m.,

From Digital Culture & Society

Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Piling up of Electronic Waste 3 Electronic Recycling 4 Conclusion

[edit] Introduction

In the analysis of country’s electronic waste practices, it is important to compare the developing world, and the developed. The third electronic waste sector that was analyzed was the USA’s e-waste practices. The article studied was a summarization of the American electronic waste sector, this was evident through the claim “This article is attempting to summarize the status of e-waste recycling and its relation to public health” (Seeberger, et al., 2010). This article gave a brief, yet effective contexts for which the study took place within. At first the discussion surrounded the types of hazardous waste that dwells within the majority of electronic waste. This list included, Mercury, Lead, and other heavy metals. Not only were there elements which have been proven harmful to the environment, but as well previously mentioned electronic components such as cathode tubes which are too difficult to break down for re-use. The introduction made reference to previous literature which stated that the majority of electronic waste generated in the USA is shipped to third world countries where dumping regulations and practices are not as prevalent (Seeberger, et al., 2010).

[edit] The Piling up of Electronic Waste

The electronic waste situation in the USA is highlighted by their digital consumer society. The article was effective in communicating the degree to which the e-waste sector in America has come to. In 2012 it was stated that the USA generated approximately 9.4 million tons of electronic waste (Seeberger, et al., 2010). This stat was used alongside the fact that on average, a household in the USA has a total of 24 electronics. These facts were helpful in understanding the problem as a priority for the US legislation. The quantitative facts given in this article were useful as they were efficient in communicating the problem. Another fact that shocked the reader and was beneficial to the summarization of the electronic waste issue was that of the 9.4 million tons of waste, 90,700 metric tons was caused by obsolete CRT TV’s (Seeberger, et al., 2010). The issue with these electronic products lie within what makes up a big part of them. 7.3% of the CRT TV is lead (Seeberger, et al., 2010). The direct impact lead has on the environment and public health was not addressed in the article and therefore further research had to be done. Lead (Pb) was not the only harmful element that exists in the CRT TV’s but also mercury (Hg). One critique the article made of the research was that the exposure threshold, which defines how much exposure humans can safely have to a substance, is not clearly defined. The exposure threshold to substances was an issue that was brought up many times in the article. Landfills were another way in which electronic waste is dealt with in the USA. The issue that was brought up was that landfills contaminate the ground and surrounding areas. Residents who live near the landfill site are at risk for being exposed to the hazardous materials in electronics. The article backed up the claim that landfills are an issue within the electronic waste sector. In 2012, it was calculated that 71% of all electronic waste generated in the USA was put into landfills (Seeberger, et al., 2010). The article was effective in making claims and backing it up with evidence.

[edit] Electronic Recycling

The study done on the electronic waste in the USA was not intended to discuss only the negative aspect. The article did a good job of balancing the positives and negatives. 2012 saw that the amount of recycling doubled since 2005. Un-liked the informal recycling sector, e-recycling in the developed nations abide by many regulations and safety measures which protect the industry workers and the environment. NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) is a federal agency responsible for ensuring workers who deal with hazardous materials are safely doing so. The research done for this article surveyed 47 e-scrap facilities and found that on average, each facility had 58 employees, all certified by responsible recycling, ISO 1400, e-stewards, and other e-waste recycling certificates. Health and safety of the employees was considered a priority for the surveyed facilities. The research could have evaluated the facilities themselves, as surveys done internally will contain bias and feature the practices in a favorable manner. The safety practices done in the formal recycling sector allow for a safer environment than the informal counter-part. The discussed safety practices were: bio-monitoring, which is a technique that measures workers blood levels in order to assess the amount of exposure to hazardous materials, audiomentry measuring, which monitors the impact that the facility has on the worker’s hearing, exhaust ventilation, Personal protective gear, and overall industrial and environmental hygiene. The article made reference to the previously analyzed article about the Kathmandu Valley informal recycling practices and made an effective brief comparison. It was clear that the practices of the formal electronic waste sector take a safer approach than the informal counter-part.

[edit] Conclusion

Landfill bans and exporting sanctions are being enacted in order to limit the amount of informally recycled electronic waste. The health risks are becoming more and more recognized in the world. The researchers said that the USA could adopt a similar policy the EU policy ‘restrictions of hazardous substances directive’. This legislation limits the quantity of electronic waste that can be exported/imported. The researchers as well gave four priority areas that can assist the electronic waste practices in the USA. First recommendation was that at the federal level, there needs to be more restrictions from a production point of view, and from a collection perspective as well. Secondly, e-waste needs to stay away from landfill sites in order to deter the contamination of groundwater. The third conclusion that was made in order to effectively assist the American e-waste sector was to eliminate all semi-formal/informal electronic waste habits. The final conclusion touched on the topic of awareness. Awareness for any issue is key to solving it. Even by studying and presenting the issue of electronic waste, we are doing our part in spreading the word of the poor handling of hazardous materials throughout the electronic world.