Last fall was my first semester of college. It was difficult to be away from home, and when my parents told me that Mac, our dog, was sick, I was devastated. The next day, I received another phone call from my parents: Mac had died. His death was sudden, and it seemed that his health deteriorated instantly. In a similar manner, I was home from school a few months later and taking care of Luna, our younger dog, while my parents were out of town. One morning, Luna fell seriously ill, so I called my parents, and they helped me over the phone. After a quick trip to the emergency clinic, Luna recovered. In both instances, technology allowed me and my parents to communicate about our dogs’ health. Likewise, the machinery used for Mac and Luna’s treatment was essential.

Technology has had a large impact on the world in the past years. Communication is faster and more efficient, information is accessible, and with the other profound capabilities of technology, not only can sick dogs be treated immediately, but others can be helped too. 

However, a recent study has found that the growing production of technology and electronics is consequential to the environment. In the study “Ctrl-Alt-Delete”: Rebooting Solutions for the E-Waste Problem (2015) by Jinhui Li, Xianlai Zeng, Mengjun Chen, Oladele A. Ogunseitan, and Ab Stevels, the researchers address E-Waste: a type of pollution caused by the metals within electronics. With the growing global consumerism for technology, the writers desire that all countries start to implement strategies to recycle this E-Waste before it worsens. Though small at the moment, they state E-Waste “contains chemicals at concentrations that are potentially toxic to humans, animals, and plants” (Li et al 7096). If E-Waste is toxic, then it’s important to find methods of recycling the material.

After reading this article, I felt concerned about how the metals in electronics are impacting our environment. Though my pets are healthy right now, how would I feel knowing that they could be seriously harmed by the technology we use if it is not recycled properly?

Before E-Waste became a new source of recycling, it was piled into landfills. However, many countries, namely Japan, Great Britain, and other island-countries, do not have the space for large landfills. As a result, countries have started implementing recycling laws; Japan has the Home Appliance Recycling Law and Small Appliance Recycling Law. 

For me, it is surprising that laws need to be passed to help reduce E-Waste, but it is not the case that these laws are recent; Japan’s laws have been in effect for many years. Clearly, E-Waste is not a surfacing issue from the past few years, yet it seems that the media coverage is relatively new.

While some countries have recycling laws, many do not. Likewise, the components of electronics require distinct methods of recycling. The article states that electronics are composed of plastic, PCBs, RLBs, and screen displays, and each of these require different processes to be recycled (Li et al 7099). Ultimately, the question is how we can implement proper E-Waste recycling methods into all countries so we can continue to enjoy the ability to communicate quickly with people around the world. The article mentions that researchers want to implement material substitution: trying to substitute certain parts of electronics for more environmentally-friendly versions. For example, by using LCD lights instead of CRT lights in televisions or light-emitting diodes instead of fluorescent lights in lamps, “these shifts can effectively delete toxitricity and decline the negative environmental impact” (Li et al 7102). Though this can help improve technology, my concern is how the CRT lights and fluorescent bulbs are managed. If they are not utilized in electronics, what is the proper method to recycle these materials so E-Waste does not continue to accumulate?

Even though the writers state that E-Waste is not large, this could change if it is not addressed soon. As the implications of technology continue to spread across the world, it’s important that we recycle and reuse old technology so nothing is wasted. According to the article, in certain countries such as China, people can sell their old electronics to buyers, but the buyers tend to not properly recycle the materials (Li et. al 7100). Likewise, though some countries have efficient methods to manage E-Waste, others lack proper processes, if they have any. The article does not state that technology is inherently bad, but how we manage the technology needs to improve. I think that technology is very beneficial to society regardless of the E-Waste being produced. So, it’s necessary for a global effort to preserve the materials we have and to recycle so we do not deplete the resources we have. 

A final problem with E-Waste is that it requires valuable metals, so if the metals are not recycled, our technology resources will deplete. The researchers claim that “a rapid exhaustion of… gallium and indium…have an estimated availability of about 20 years until they will run out completely” (Li et al 7095). Though technology has helped us, it seems that the materials we use to make it are limited. Many would say that technology needs to continue evolving, so it’s important there is awareness for the impact it has on the Earth. 

Ultimately, this study highlights how E-Waste is growing as the market for technology grows, and this is creating several problems. Though this concerns me, technology should not be diminished or minimized because it has had great benefits on the world. One benefit is the ability to care for sick animals. Many people, myself included, want their pets to stay healthy, so it’s important that we are conscious of how we recycle electronics. As resources deplete, and the environment could be intoxicated, I think that we need to be aware of how our actions affect the world. Additionally, with the ability to spread news rapidly across the world, there should be news outlets that provide relevant information about E-Waste. These outlets can inform readers about proper recycling methods, how to use material substitution, and where to recycle electronics that do not go in the recycling bins. In sum, a global effort to properly approach E-Waste needs to take effect immediately.

Bryan Van Genderen, TRU 110, April 2020

 

Works Cited

Li, Jinhui, et al. “‘Control-Alt-Delete’: Rebooting Solutions for the E-Waste Problem.” 

        Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 49, no. 12, Apr. 2015, pp. 7095–7108., 

        doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b00449.

@marjanblan, Марьян Блан |. (2019, August 27). Photo by Марьян Блан:

        @marjanblan on Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash. com/photos/na6

        OcQUE1MY

Yuhong, T. (2020, January 19). Photo by Teng Yuhong on Unsplash. Retrieved from 

        https://unsplash.com/photos/VAubcLVvHYo