From the mobile phones we use to the daily emails we receive, we are not always aware of the impact of e-waste on our Planet and even our health. But, it’s an urgent issue we need to tackle. Indeed, according to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General “with mounting volumes of production and disposal, the world faces what one recent international forum described as a mounting “tsunami of e-waste”, putting lives and health at risk.”
E-waste facts
According to ADEME, the Environmental Transition Agency, the digital sector is responsible for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Even worse, by 2025, this share could double!
An international study estimated that there were 53.6 million tons of e-waste worldwide in 2019. Unfortunately, France is among the countries that produce the most, with about 20kg per person in 1 year. The thing is the share of the equipment waste collected, likely to have a second life through the recycling process, is still small.
Impact on human’s health
While e-waste is increasing real fast, its unsuspected impact on human health is growing too. For instance, about 12.9 million women are working in the informal waste sector, which potentially exposes them to toxic e-waste and puts them and their unborn children at risk. Even worse, more than 18 million children and adolescents, some as young as 5 years of age are working in this sector. They are often engaged by their parents in e-waste recycling because their hands are smaller.
But what they don’t consider is that by doing this, parents expose their children to harmful substances. Indeed, by working or even being around those places where there are high levels of toxic chemicals, mostly lead and mercury, it can damage their intellectual abilities But, it can also cause them side effects such as changes in lung function, respiratory effects, DNA damage. It even increases the risks of some chronic diseases later in life, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Do beterre
We always have to keep in mind the 3 “R” rule because it’s super helpful. First, we need to reduce our consumption of electronic devices to reduce our e-waste. Then, we can reuse equipment that still functions by donating or selling it to someone if we don’t need it anymore. Finally, properly recycling the products that cannot be repaired is key.
Remember small steps are life-changing and can save a lot of energy. Think about deleting your emails and watch fewer videos because streaming is energy-intensive. For instance, unplug unnecessary equipment or lower the brightness of your screen.
These are just some easy steps that you can adopt in your daily life but that make a real change. So next time you’ll be on your phone, think about turning on the “dark mode”.
