Harmful Electronic Equipment

Imagine an electronic-city with everything auto controlled.

A city where we own the comfort of working in an environment that customizes itself according to our needs. It's all possible in current scenario with high-technology equipments. But before we dream about it, we should understand the cost that we pay to attain such a hi-tech luxury.

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
―Albert Einstein

We, as humans, have innovated infinite things for the comfort of mankind. But we happen to forget to reuse, recycle or reduce the use of hazardous materials that hold harmful effects on our planet.

Do you know that:

• Approximately 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed worldwide every year.
• The Cell phones and many other electronic items contain high amounts of precious metals like gold or silver.
• Americans dump phones containing over $60 million in gold/silver every year that goes in-vain.

Not just this, the truth is that only 12.5% of e-waste is currently being recycled out of all. The electronic items that are considered to be most hazardous include:

1. Televisions, Computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes
2. LCD desktop monitors, LCD televisions, Plasma televisions, Portable DVD players with LCD screens.
3. Printed circuit boards (image behind table— a thin plate on which chips and other electronic components are placed)
4. Mobile Phone etc
5. Radio-active products
6. Printed circuit boards
7. Mercury switches
8. Batteries
9. Light generators (e.g., lamps)
10. Capacitors and resistors
11. Sensors and connectors

Though the list is long, but it's high time to understand the cause and effect rule of nature.

 

  Reduce. Re-use. Recycling is the solution

The most effective solution to this rapidly growing e-waste is to re-use these products, as most of the electronic devices contain different kind of materials that include metal. These elements can be recovered to repair or customize other products for future. Hence, to protect out planet and carry forward the same gift to the future generation we should follow the mantra — Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.