Sunday, July 5, 2020

A problem that mankind needs to sort out.

E-waste surges 21% in 5 yrs.

About 54 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21% in just five
years, according to the UN's Global E-waste Monitor 2020.

Disturbing trends.

 1. New Predictions

     The report predicts global e-waste - discarded products with a battery or plug - will reach 74
     million metric tonnes by 2030.

 2. Fastest Growing Waste Stream

     This makes e-waste the world's fastest-growing domestic waste stream, fueled mainly by higher
     by higher consumption rates of electric and electronic equipment, short life cycles and few options
     of repair.

 3. Valuable Garbage

     $57 billion worth of gold, silver, copper, platinum and other high-value, recoverable material were
     mostly dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse.

 4. 17.4% of 2019's e-waste was collected and recycled.

 5. Continent Wise E-Waste Report 2019

     (a) America's            13.1 Mt
     (b) Africa                   2.9 Mt
     (c) Europe                12.0 Mt
     (d) Asia                    24.9 Mt
     (e) Oceania                0.7 Mt

     2019's e-waste weighed as much as 350 cruise ships the size of the Queen Mary 2.

 6. Health Hazard

     Electronic waste contain toxic additives and hazardous substances such as mercury, which can
     damage our brain and affect neurological functioning.

 7. 50 tonnes of mercury - used in monitors, PCBs and flourescent and energy-saving light sources -
     are contained in undocumented flows of e-waste annually.

 8. Key Findings

     * 98 Mt of CO2-equivalents were released into the atmosphere from discarded fridges and air
        conditioners last year.
     * 0.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions was sourced to this release.

 9. E-waste Policy

     78 countries have adopted a national e-waste policy.


Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. It was a wet and quiet Sunday.




     

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