In its own small way, EDGE DPUB wants to raise awareness of the issue of electrical waste. The electrical devices, among many others, that are used to create and read e-books end up being thrown away and recycled. The recycling process, however, does not guarantee the complete disposal and reuse of these devices, their components or materials. In fact, a huge amount is exported to countries such as Africa, where they are disposed of in illegal dumping sites and people try to extract the metals in very rudimentary ways, causing serious health problems along with environmental and social issues.
To adress the issue it might be useful to understand the life-cycle of an electronic device.
There are alternative solutions besides the recycling of electronic devices which are known as the 5 Rs or 7 Rs of sustainability:
These strategies address consumer habits and responsibilities, but it should be obvious that as long as factories produce environmentally unsustainable devices and packaging, the problem will persist.
The increase in e-waste could be reduced by changing the design of electrical devices. This would be a method of addressing the cause of the problem rather than finding solutions to deal with the consequences of the production cycle. Companies like Fairphone, Shiftphones, Teracube, PinePhone, iFixit, Volta, and RePhone, for example, design and produce modular smartphones that are completely dismantleable and reusable.
Below you can find reports published by specialised bodies and organisations with in-depth studies on waste management and some videos showing the places where e-waste is transported and the working conditions of illegal dumps where people are forced to work. Please, click the link in descriptions to open the documents in PDF.
E-waste is the fastest growing waste problem in the world. It is not only a quantitative crisis, but also one born of toxic ingredients that pose a threat to both occupational and environmental health. (PDF)
Increasing levels of electronic waste, and its improper and unsafe treatment and disposal through open burning or in dumpsites, pose significant risks to the environment and human health. This report provides the most comprehensive overview of global e-waste statistics following the guidelines that were developed by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. Please read:
The European Union has legislated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management since 2002. This publication provides key statistics of WEEE flows, collection rates in the EU 27, Norway, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Iceland from 2010 to 2021 by integrating several data sources. (PDF)
E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams. In 2019, the world generated 53.6 Mt of e-waste – an average of 7.3 kg per capita. E waste generation is expected to increase to 74.7 Mt in 2030 and reach as much as 110 Mt in 2050, unless we modify our practices. (PDF)
Tech has a dirty secret - e-waste. Discarded electronics are full of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, which can harm human health and poison the land and waters, if not properly disposed of.
Short video in Italian with subtitles.
Electronic waste (often referred to as e-waste) is discarded electrical or electronic items ranging from air conditioners to refrigerators and includes computers, monitors, smart phones and devices. In 2021, it is estimated that another 57+ million metric tons of electronic waste will be generated with a value exceeding 62 billion dollars.
Pakistan has become an illegal dumping ground for some of the 50 million tons of e-waste created each year. Karachi's poor earn a living from the toxic detritus, but the vicious cycle of consumption could prove fatal.
A powerful documentary about the dumping of toxic computer wastes on developing nations, specifically Guiyu, China. See also the book with the same title. Download PDF here.
An investigation for Sunday's Dateline in 2011, has found a mountain of old electronic equipment dumped in what were once picturesque wetlands in Ghana in West Africa.
Fraudsters in Ghana show how they use internet scams to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting victims all over the globe.
The film documents planned obsolescence in industrial production, i.e. the deliberate limitation by manufacturers of the lifespan of their products in order to thereby secure the sale of replacement and follow-up products. In addition to describing concrete examples, the film also deals with the economic and ecological consequences of consumer society.
Spanish version of "The Light Bulb Conspiracy"