E-waste:
Do you still watch movies from a VCR player? More than likely, no. Are you purchasing the latest cell phone every time a new one is released? If you’re like almost 50 percent of iPhone users, the answer is probably yes. How many computers have you gone through in your lifetime? Probably quite a few. Have you recently updated any large house appliances? Maybe, because studies show people are buying new appliances more than ever.
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So the real question is: where do all of those obsolete, outdated or non-functioning electronics go?
Effect on Air pollution:
The air pollution caused by e-waste impacts some animal species more than others, which may be endangering these species and the biodiversity of certain regions that are chronically polluted. Over time, air pollution can hurt water quality, soil and plant species, creating irreversible damage in ecosystems.
The Negative Effects on Soil
When improper disposal of e-waste in regular landfills or in places where it is dumped illegally, both heavy metals and flame retardants can seep directly from the e-waste into the soil, causing contamination of underlying groundwater or contamination of crops that may be planted near by or in the area in the future. When the soil is contaminated by heavy metals, the crops become vulnerable to absorbing these toxins, which can cause many illnesses and doesn’t allow the farmland to be as productive as possible.
The Negative Effects on Water
After soil contamination, heavy metals from e-waste, such as mercury, lithium, lead and barium, then leak through the earth even further to reach groundwater. When these heavy metals reach groundwater, they eventually make their way into ponds, streams, rivers and lakes. Through these pathways, acidification and toxification are created in the water, which is unsafe for animals, plants and communities even if they are miles away from a recycling site. Clean drinking water becomes problematic to find.
The Negative Effects on Humans
As mentioned, electronic waste contains toxic components that are dangerous to human health, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polybrominated flame retardants, barium and lithium. The negative health effects of these toxins on humans include brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage.
