Environmental Impact of the Mobile Phone Technology - Essay Example

?ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS Introduction This assignment focuses on the environmental impact analysis. In this regard, the product chosen for the environmental impact analysis and evaluation is today’s high tech, consumer preferred, market dominant product of information and communication systems and technologies; mobile phone. The paper begins with a brief discussion of mobile phones’ and telecommunication technology’s positive contribution to the environment; later the discussion points out towards the negative impacts of the mobile phone technology and its growing usage coupled with global unawareness and severe negligence towards the dark side of the picture. The assignment focuses on the environmental impacts of mobile phone components, its usage, and disposal phenomena. This paper entails the description of the various metal, nonmetal and chemical compound components used in the manufacturing of mobile phones. It discusses the consumer practice of use, manufacturers’ practice of expanding the technology, and societal concerns pertaining to mobile phone usage and the corresponding effects on human health and environmental sustainability. The assignment also delineates how the mobile phone technology is emerging as an ever budding global electronic waste. Broadly the context of this paper concentrates on the issues concerned with mobile phone technology and its hazardous effects questionable to the environmental sustainability. This assignment at the end of the paper concludes with appropriate recommendations to the regulatory lobby across the world, the telecommunication sector, the health sector, and the global individual business practitioners and consumers. The term exposure throughout the assignment refers to long term exposure of radiations and mobile phone use up to 10 years. Overview of the Environmental Impact of the Mobile Phone Technology This section of the assignment discusses the overall positive and negative environmental impact of mobile phone technology; which is by and large transferred to the economic, social and environment of the world through the global consumption of this technology. The following points discuss the positive aspects of mobile phone technology. Mobile technology is the fusion of the widespread information technology and the growing network of telecommunication. It has been observed and accepted globally that the mobile phone technology has contributed a lot to the contemporary business community by revolutionizing the inter-organizational communication and information flow; which directly transfers economic benefit to the world. It has conferred benefit to the individual consumers across the world by making the communication inexpensive and affordable amongst users. This has induced and escalated the demand for mobile consumption and usage across the world even in emerging markets and developing nations (Challis, 2001). The ease of access to communication through mobile phone technology has contributed very much to the different social issues concerned with reach and contact to health and civic services, especially in emergent situations. The growing demand of mobile technology expanded the manufacturing facilities across the world which increased employment opportunities for individuals that indirectly enhances the social value and promotes economic quality of life. Social importance of mobile phone technology is that it has revolutionized the ease of instant global contact anytime, anywhere and everywhere; which has reinforced family bonds and relationships (Dimonte & Ricchiuto, 2006). The contemporary mobile phone technology converge diverse applications of camera, internet, social networking, gaming, global positioning, information sharing, learning, selling/purchasing, etc. into a single mobile device which is known as a smart phone. This has increased the perceived quality of and consequent consumption of mobile phones. These smart phones have given a new direction to the consumption patterns and the resulting consumer behavior in terms of their preference, adoption, usage and disposal. This is a mere one side of the picture of the global environmental impact that mobile phones have over individual consumers and societies on the whole. It has been found, studied and scientifically observed that mobile phone technology has instigated several issues that possess both direct and indirect environmental and social significance; and those consumers worth knowing. These issues pertains to the electromagnetic or power radiation emissions, rate of development and up gradation of mobile technology, changing consumer behavior, health hazards, and direct environment devastating waste production (Hossmann & Hermann, 2002). Environmental Issues Pertaining Mobile Phone Technology This section of the paper addresses the negative environmental impacts associated with the mobile phone technology; which in any possible way individually or collectively effects the economic, social and global environment. Electromagnetic or Power Radiation Emissions It is known that the mobile technology infrastructure i.e. the mobile phone devices and the base stations or masts emits different classes or bands of electromagnetic radiations and radio-frequencies for functioning of mobile devices, in terms of connectivity of devices and information sharing. These radiations have thermal and non-thermal effects over users of the mobile phones. Thermal radiation effects produce tissue heating in the human body. It has also been discovered through research and study that these radiations’ discharge from the mobile phone devices even at low intensity exposures posses the affinity to affect the humans biologically; these effects are categorized as non-thermal in nature. These effects generate at levels that exist far below the prevalent existing exposure EMR and RF limit imposed on telecom sector by regulatory authorities in the developed countries (Karger, 2005). The exposure limit over quantifies the EMR and RF radiations to 1.6W/kg, above which the exposure of radiations to humans are considered harmful and hazardous. Humans and other living beings have the tendency to absorb these radiations on exposure to EMR and RF fields. The absorption tendency of individually differ by age; it has been argued that the absorption of radiations amongst children and teens is greater than that of an adult. The increased susceptibility of children and teens in comparison to adult is the juvenility and prematurity of their biological anatomy (Wargo and Taylor, 2012). The exposure of EMR and RF radiations to human depends upon the bandwidth frequency of mobile devices and the concentration as well as intensity of telecom base stations. The frequency limit for GSM(Global System for Mobile communication), 2G, mobile technology is 900-1900 MHz whilst that of UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) mobile technology frequency limit is 1900-2200 MHz for 3G and 2000-8000 or more frequency limit for a 4G mobile technology. The requirement of masts and base stations for 3rd, 4th and 5th generation mobiles increases, as they demand a crowded network of mobile phone masts for transfer of information bands and packets for UMTS 3-5th generation mobile phone technology. Consequently, with the growing global adoption of smart phones and 3-5thG technologies, the network of EMR and RF radiations transmission and reception has become more intense by the presence of mobile phone base stations in much closer proximity than before. This has intensified the human exposure to these radiations (Wargo and Taylor, 2012). Rate of Mobile Phone Technological Development The rate of change and upgrade of the mobile phone technology is storming and striking. The mobile phone technology, unlike any other technology across the world, advances itself drastically, after every 8-12 months. It is expanding the scope of the mobile phone functionality from conventional communication to everything else. This rapid rate of change in the device has severely abridged the life cycle of mobile phone, increased consumer dependence, shaped rational consumer behaviors to more technology focused and addicted behaviors. These aforementioned changes benefits manufacturers to a great extent than to the consumers and society as a whole; as they could charge more from a consumer for an increased functionality of a mobile device (Wargo and Taylor, 2012). Mobile Phone Technological Development and Shifting Consumer Behavior Despite of the fact that consumers are becoming more informed and savvy about everything with information technology, consumers’ knowledge about mobile phone manufacturing, usage and safety considerations are questionable to a great extent. Consumers globally are exercising negligible pressure over manufacturers and regulatory bodies for clarifying the ambiguities associated with mobile phone technology and its environmental impacts. Moreover, the technological developments in mobile phones have made consumers restricted to and addicted after the mere functionality benefits of the mobile phones, such that a mobile phone is replaced frequently after every 12-15 months as the new technology upgrade occurs. This reduced life cycle of the mobile phones hardly justifies the cost and benefit evaluation process of consumers, because the cost is not completely allocated over the entire useful life of a mobile phone. This behavior is not consistent with the consumers’ rational behavior towards the consumption, usage and disposal of other products or technologies. The same behavior has been observed for other technology oriented consumer products as well (Sienkiewicz & Kowalczuk, 2005). Mobile Phones’ Long-Term Exposure and Health Vulnerability Mobile phones’ long term exposure posses risk to all living beings as it has been discussed previously. This section explains the various vulnerabilities, associated with mobile phone technology, its components and its corresponding EMR and RF exposure, to human health and wellness. In addition to radiations exposure, the mobile phones’ structural components too have the propensity to pose a threat to environment and human health. It has been discovered through research and studies that the LCDs, batteries and the wiring board of a mobile phone use lethal elements and compounds which could cause cancer, generates non malignant tumors, effects nervous system, has potential to damage reproduction system etc (Patrick, Griswold, Raab, & Intille, 2008). Research and studies have also determined that a mobile phone’s EMR and RF radiations exposure to humans has a moderating effect in inflating the risks of cancer amongst users. However, a direct objective relation and link has not yet been established between the two factors of cancer and mobile phone usage. Furthermore, it has been found that the long term EMR and RF radiations affect the human nervous system by influencing the cognitive performance of individuals. The reproduction system of men is also susceptible as exposure to these radiations can potentially damage the DNA sequence and ability to repair itself, which in turn could spoil the cells within the body. Thus, contributes in escalating the risks of malignant tumor development. It has tendency to damage eye tissues, acoustic system and affects the brain (Repacholi, 2001). Unfortunately, due to the absence of the establishment of a causal relation between the health hazards and the mobile phone usage, the business communities as well as the consumers are taking the matter no seriously. Nonetheless, the activists groups in health sector and environment protection agencies are pooling resources to conduct research to determine the objectivity on these issues and establish scientific grounds on the health concerns (Ropke, 2001). Environment Devastating Waste Production Environmental sustainability refers to utilization of global natural resources in a manner that would result in optimization of current resource value by transferring benefits to economic, social and environmental system of the world, and must also assure the propagation of the same benefits to the next progeny. Therefore, sustainability occurs when a society as a consumer, manufacturer, service provider, intermediary agent, activist group, and as regulatory or governing body; do not restrict the focus to self-centered interests at the cost of quality of life of the descendants, rather it should expand the focus of interest to the needs and interests of the next generations to secure their future and quality of life (Nnorom & Osibanjo, 2009). Regrettably, the mobile phone manufacturing, usage and disposal practices are not in compliance with the sustainability criterion. The Basel Convention, an authorized global body for perilous wastes classified mobile phones as products which generate lethal waste through its components; battery, LCDs, wiring panels and other elements and compounds. These are elaborated as: The plastic body and key pads of a mobile phone contains chromium, PVC, brominated flame retardants, the LCD display screen contains liquid crystals, the circuit board contains lead, brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE) and mercury, and the battery has cadmium, nickel, and lithium. Except lithium, all the metals used in a mobile phone structure are categorized as heavy metals (Sage & Carpenter, 2009). All the components of a mobile phone by and large qualify the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test, the validity of which is acknowledged globally. According to the test, the substances that possess the tendency to penetrate and diffuse harmful compounds or elements into the environment are considered as most perilous to the environment. Surprisingly, mobile phones are emerging as the greatest source of environmental waste (Nnorom & Osibanjo, 2009). The lead compounds which are classified as persistent bio-accumulative toxins; which adversely effects the intact environment. Brominated flame retardants, heavy metals and their alloys used in mobile phones; all possess the leaching tendency, which indicates that these substances do not decompose through biodegradation rather they spread into air, water, land etc and pollutes the environment. As these substances leach into the atmosphere, they can cause respiratory dysfunction; when spread into soil they could contaminate all the agricultural production and cultivate poisonous crops or can even leads to infertility of agricultural land; upon diffusion in water these substances could affect the humans as well as the marine life of the planet. Above and beyond, it can potentially affect the nervous system, immune systems, the endocrine system, neurological system, thyroid functions and pose carcinogenic impacts to humans (Nnorom & Osibanjo, 2009). Mobile waste is not biodegradable and the leaching characteristics of its component substances prohibits the practice of land filing of mobile waste; therefore, the options left in case of mobile phones are recycling and reuse. Eighty percent of the mobile waste comes from developed countries. The recycling bodies of the developed countries transport the waste to developing countries for reproduction of its components and parts. The recycling procedure of mobile phones actually refers to the processing of old discarded mobile phone component materials, and remanufacturing of the same for reuse. Unfortunately this entire process from transportation of mobile phones to developing countries to recycling and remanufacturing of the same is very lethal and hazardous for the ecological system of the planet. It leads to contamination of water, land and atmosphere of the respective country and venom the workforce (Nnorom & Osibanjo, 2009). It has been estimated by United Nations Environment Program, that the manufacturing of a single mobile phone, from extraction of metals to refinery and product development, produces roughly about 60kg of CO2e, whilst the usage of the same mobile phone generates about 122kg of CO2e. The energy consumed during the circuit board manufacturing process is the biggest factor that releases maximum CO2 and adds 56.4% to the climate change. The energy consumption of the mobile base stations and the individual mobile phones energy consumption release huge CO2 emissions which is primarily responsible for the rapid 76.1% climate change across the world (Nnorom & Osibanjo, 2009). In short the entire mobile phone wastage all by itself not merely composing recycling issues and biological decomposition problems, but in a broad context its short life cycle and the consequent accumulation of hazardous substances hinders the natural biological putrefaction; which consequently have the potential to damage the health of living species, damage natural resources and their productivity, damage ecological systems, contributes to climate changes and increases global warming. (Scharnhorst, Althaus, Classen, Jolliet, & Hilty, 2005) Consumer, Manufacturer and Global Societal Negligence The aforesaid environmental issue associated with the mobile manufacturing, usage, disposal, and recycling are serious enough to draw attention to the broader context of collective ecological concerns of the global society, consumers and manufacturers. The global negligence towards these issues is a issue itself, and the surprising rapid growth of the mobile phone industry is a growing concern for environmentalists. It is the responsibility of ecological activists groups to create awareness of the public on the issues globally (Scharnhorst, Hilty, & Jolliet, 2006). Strategies to Counter and Curb the Environmental Issues Pertaining Mobile Phone Technology Following are the strategies that must be adopted and executed across the board so that every individual group, from manufacturers, consumers, governing authorities, regulatory bodies and societal activists groups, would accept his responsibility to control and curb the environmental issues pertaining the mobile phone technology or else (Stewart, 2000). Induce Global Awareness: The ecological activities groups, health sector and regulatory bodies must collaborate to develop global awareness on the environmental issues concerning the mobile phone technology, so that an organized pressure can be directed towards manufacturers and relevant telecom sector to make the products and processes green. Extremely strict public safety standards must be developed to limit public exposure to radiations. Standard testing methodologies must be developed to increase validity of the research for identifying scientific evidence that develops objective causal relationship between mobile phone usage and consequent health hazards. Reduce: The regulatory authorities must reduce the rate of technological development to enhance the perceived useful life of mobile phone technology which would decrease the rate of e-waste accumulation and mobile phone dumping practice. Consumer awareness must be created on ecological grounds, so that a global demand for biodegradable substances must be used in the technology. Reuse: Systems should be developed for reuse of mobile components without exposing the environment to hazardous substances. Research must be conducted on identifying ways for reusing the existing mobile phone waste in a creative manner and not through land filling or recycling, so that it doesn’t cost the environment resources, human health and other living beings (Timotijevic & Barnett, 2006). Conclusion The mobile phone technology is relatively new and is growing at a striking pace all over the world; however, changes have to be made across the board in regulatory systems, consumers’ safety criterions, mobile phone manufacturing and telecom sector. Moreover, efforts are required to conduct research and for developing awareness amongst all societal groups to enhance the understanding of public on the environmental concerns associated with mobile phone technology. List of References Challis, L. (2001). Mobile phones and health. Health Physics, vol. 80, no. 6. Dimonte, M., & Ricchiuto, G. (2006). Mobile phone and young people. 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Sage, C., & Carpenter, D. O. (2009). Public health implications of wireless technologies. Pathophysiology, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 233-246. Scharnhorst, W., Althaus, H. J., Classen, M., Jolliet, O., & Hilty, L. M. (2005). The end of life treatment of second generation mobile phone networks: Strategies to reduce the environmental impact. Environmental impact assessment review, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 540-566. Scharnhorst, W., Hilty, L. M., & Jolliet, O. (2006). Life cycle assessment of second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) mobile phone networks. Environment international, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 656-675. Sienkiewicz, Z. J., & Kowalczuk, C. I. (2005). A summary of recent reports on mobile phones and health (2000-2004). National Radiological Protection Board. Stewart, W. (2000). Mobile phones and health. Independent expert group on mobile phones. Avaialble from http://www.teiser.gr/icd_old/SAR/IEGMP.pdf [ Accessed 28 December 2012] Timotijevic, L., & Barnett, D. J. (2006). 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