1. Abstract (250 Words)
Electronic waste which is generally referred to as e-waste comprises of old electronic devices
discarded at the end of their useful lifespan. This includes commonly used household consumer
electronics such as microwave, televisions, fridges, mobile phones, desktop computers and laptops.
This paper aims to provide a brief overview on the origins of the e-waste, causes of their growth,
threats they pose on the environment and ways of mitigating then from a system perspective. One of
the biggest concerns regarding e-waste is the toxins they release to the environment which will
eventually leach into environment and contaminate soil and enter the food chain.
2. Introduction ( 500 words)
With the annual e-waste of 50 million metric tons generated worldwide, it has become a notoriously
increasing problem brought in by the rapid proliferation of technology in everyday life. China, one
of the biggest economic giants of the world alone generates about 2 million tons of e-waste, and the
figure is expected to rise at 10 per cent annually (Li 2007). On a global scale, the rate of e-waste
generation is growing three times faster than other type of waste (Ng et al. 2012). One of the biggest
reasons, for this increase in e-waste is the rapid advancements of technology in the last few years.
This type of advancement promotes customers to buy more electronic devices or frequently replace
them in favour of newly arrived version of the device they are holding. Life cycle of such devices
are getting shorter which results in soaring quantity of e-waste. About 75-80 per cent of e-waste
ends of in landfills in the US (Kahhat et al. 2008). E-waste contain both valuable and hazardous
substances at the same time. In addition, there is also a great demand for e-waste in the recycling
industry considering the fact a significant portion of the waste is composed of scrap metal. Improper
handling, dumping or poor management during recycling can cause leaching of heavy metals and
other substances like lead, phosphorous and cadmium into the environment. Though recycling is a
tried and tested method for effective management of general recyclable waste, e-waste requires
some extra consideration for proper implementation without which it will be a gateway for the
harmful chemicals to contaminate the environment. In this research, management of e-waste, their
origin and mitigation of their harmful effect is studied through four level of thinking.
2.2 Identification and Causes (300 words)
(Identify at least 5 major problems caused by ewaste)
(Only write the poblems, do not write their solutions and
ways of mitigation)
E-waste mostly originates from discarded household and office appliances. The reason
behind increasing quantity of e-waste is cheaper technology. Technological advancements in
the last few decade has created such a market/consumer trend where it has gotten easier to
replace the electronic devices than repair then. As mentioned earlier the global e-waste
A Research on Origin and Growth of E-Waste
production is about 50 million metric tonnes per year. Some of the stakeholders responsible
are as follows.
Consumers
Electronics Manufacturers
Television and Advertising media
Legislation
Social Media
Collectively, they are responsible for painting a pretty picture of consumer electronics
market and constant promotions of new and trendy gadgets among young adults. Media are
reluctant to show the negative side of electronics once they reach their useful life or
discarded early for newer one. Consumer electronics giants like Apple and Samsung give
their devices a short life span because it is the only way to keep customers buying their
products. According to EPA (Environmental Production Agency), an estimated 15 to 20
percent of e-waste goes into recycling.
References
Please use at least 5 references. Journal articles have been provided to you.
Bibliography
Kahhat, R., Kim, J., Xu, M., Allenby, B., Williams, E. & Zhang, P. 2008, 'Exploring
e-waste management systems in the United States', Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, vol. 52, no. 7, pp. 955-64.
Li, N. 2007, 'E-waste recycling logistics network optimization and development
suggestions in China', Market Weekly (Disquisition Edition), pp. 101-13.
Ng, Y.T., Lee, H.M., Lu, W.F. & Choong, J.L.S. 2012, 'Improving e-waste recovery
with energy efficiency information of products', 2012 Electronics Goes
Green 2012+, pp. 1-6.