Electronics in our society have toxic chemicals in them that are polluting the
World. The current marketing strategies encourage rapid replacement, and improper disposal of the wastes- known as E-Wastes. The recycling of these wastes is for the most part equally negative on the environment. Only a small percentage of E-Wastes recyclers properly dispose of the wastes.
Current market design has the user of electronic products replacing their devices every 18 months. The devices are too expensive to repair, and technologically out dated, leaving this rapid replacement the best option for the users- but not the environment. The manufacturing involves mining and use of txic chemicals, such as PVC, mercury, solvents, and flame-retardants. The areas where they are manufactured are rapidly polluted with manufacturing by-products and wastes (Silicon Valley). The workers in these plants have much higher instances of sickness and disease, with shorter live spans as a result of the pollutions they work around.
Once the user is finished with the products, they are often tossed out into trash or sent for recycling. The term “toxic in-toxic out” refers to the point that THE E-Wastes are produced toxic, and remain so for their life- obviously making them toxic as a waste product. Most of the recycling plants are in third world countries where the wastes are manually broken down, partially salvaged, and then burned. This moves the toxic waste to third world countries and releases the toxic wastes there. The U.S. produces 25 million tons of E-Wastes a year. The process of these products life cycle allows its producers to externalize costs, passing on costs through poor work environment for employees, toxic wastes exported to other countries, and designing for the dump with short life cycles and limited reparability. To combat this practice, “you make it- you deal with it” trends are inspiring take back, that make the manufacturers more responsible for their products through-out the product’s life. The hope is to transfer the costs and responsibilities of disposal to the manufacturers – encouraging the making of better-designed, longer lasting, toxic free products.
An example of a better E-Waste recycler would be CEAR INC in Sacramento California. CEAR uses a complex system to break down and sort E-Wastes into more easily dealt with waste categories. At the heart of the system is a machine known as the green machine. Incoming electronics are counted, sorted, and weighed. The products are then torn apart (de-manufactured) by a complex array of arms and spun in a centrifuge to sort like material together. The hazardous material are then separated and shipped to appropriate recyclers. Further sorting occurs, and shredding before being sent to to “Smelting Operations Scrap Processors “which melt down the products and separate them into ferrous, non-ferrous, plastic, and glass/lead glass categories. The products are then sent to Recycling certification, reporting, and on to be re used.
Ideally the elimination of toxic chemicals in the production of electronics, and improved design for longer life, reparability, and recyclability should be the goals of manufacturers. Consumers need to remain vigilant, and keep the policy makers on track for these goals.
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