Electronic Waste - Speech or Presentation Example

Electronic Waste Introduction Ladies and gentlemen I feel honoured to stand before you today. The topic of discussion today is on the harm of electronic wastes. Electronic waste is used to refer to electronic material that have are no longer in in use and thus discarded. The boom in the high information technology all over the world is the main contributor of this new kind of environmental challenge that did not exist 20 years ago. E-waste-waste represents the fastest and so far the biggest manufacturing waste. Waste materials covered under e-waste include mobile phones, televisions, monitors, PDAs, digital video cameras, iPods and other computer accessories. The term Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEEE) is commonly used to mean E-waste-waste. Note that WEEE takes care of a wider e-waste scope. It takes care of none-ICT materials such as microwaves, and refrigerators (Karpus, 1). E-Waste Environmental Challenges E-waste is a common challenge globally. It is posing a significant challenge to the environment and human life. This is because it is a new challenge yet the rate at which it is growing is quite alarming. The more the human kind advances in information technology the more need to dispose the used electronic materials in order to give room for the new electronic materials. Developed nations have made several steps towards ensuring e-waste management. On the other hand, developing nations lag behind and so far policies enacted as not fully implemented. In most developed nations, there are no policies that govern the disposal of electronic materials (Karpus, 1). This, therefore, implies that e-waste is posing several challenges in many nations. Electronic wastes are made up different materials that are extremely toxic. Some of these materials cannot be decomposed or decompose at a unusually slow rate (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Toxic Components of E-Waste Smoke alarms contained in many electronic devices are made up of americium or carcinogen. This two materials are radioactive and take a very long to decompose. Mercury is used to make tilt switches, fluorescent tubes, flat screen monitors and thermostats. If mercury is absorbed into the environment, it results into serious health effects such as dermatitis, sensory impairment, general muscle weakness, and memory loss in human beings and reduced fertility, death, slower rate of growth and development in animals (Karpus, 1). Lead acid batteries are made up of particularly harmful chemical called sulphur. If absorbed into an individual’s body it causes adverse effects such as kidney damage, throat and eye irritation, and heart damage. When allowed to reach the clouds, it reacts with vapor to form sulphuric acid (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). BFR is used in most electronics as flame retardants. It is made up of other several chemicals, which when allowed to the environment causes several health complications. These include liver problems, thyroid problems, and impaired nervous system development both in animals and human beings (Grossman, 1). Cadmium is used to make light sensitive resistors and nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries used in electronic devices. Cadmium has adverse effects if exposed to the environment. If inhaled, it causes permanent damage to the lungs as well as causing kidney diseases. Due to its adverse effects, it was banned in Europe except for medical purposes (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Lead is a vital component of most electronic devices including monitors, solders, lead-acid batteries, cathode ray tubes and PVC. Lead if allowed into the soil will encourage leaching and destroy natural habitats for many micro-organisms. Beryllium is used as filler in thermal materials. These include thermal grease that is used in CPUs and heat sinks, X-rays ceramic windows, vacuum tubes, and gas lasers (James, 13). If all of these harmful chemicals are released into the environment then our future generations are threatened. Most animals will get extinct the generations that will follow will not live comfortably. Therefore, there is a need for urgent measure to be taken to take care of e-wastes. We have to join hands globally so that to ensure disposal of electronic devices is done in a way that is environment friendly (James, 13). Handling of E-Waste We have to understand that the waste electronic materials can be recycled. There are several businesses all over the world that do recycling business. These businesses have tried reverting e-wastes back to raw materials, which is used to make other complex electronic devices. Besides this, the waste materials are refurbished and reused in other areas. Reusing has both social and environmental benefits because it lower demand for new materials (Bondolfe, 4). Electronic materials manufacturing companies, civil societies and governments should be encouraged to conduct a consumer awareness program. This program should focus on preaching the dangers of careless disposing of waste electronics and encouraging users to embrace the available environment friendly methods of disposing the wastes. Besides this, we should have laws and policies both at national and international level that govern the e-waste disposal (Bondolfe & Mathias, 1). Governments should be very strict as far as these laws are concerned and any person disrespecting these laws should be punished severely. The government through environmental bodied should organize for environmental seminars, which will give knowledge on this (Bondolfe, 4). Conclusion Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion we have to understand that regulation measures put in place to handle disposal of e-waste is for our own good. We should embrace and support these measures, but not resisting them. Please note that the better we implement environment conservation measures today the better life we will live tomorrow. Works Cited Karpus, Leah. “Dangers of E-Waste.” 03 Jan. 2011. Web. 30 Sep. 2011. Toothman, Jessika. “E-Waste Dangers.” 11 Jun. 2010. Grossman, Elizabeth.  “High Tech Trash: Digital Devices, Hidden Toxins, and Human Health.”  Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2006. Pp. 1. Wooddell, David. “E-Waste.”17 Mar. 2000. Web. 30 Sep. 2011. Bondolfe, Anahide & Mathias, Schluep. “The Green e-Waste Channel” as an environmentally friendly and socially responsible concept to manage e-waste in emerging economies.” 2007. Conference Proceedings, World Congress, 1(1). Pp.1-10. James, Mike. “Low-cost computing and related ways of overcoming the global digital divide.” Journal of Information Science, 2001. 27(6). Pp.12-13 Read More