Lotzof, K. (2020, October 7). What is e-waste and what can we do about it? Retrieved 

February 20, 2021, from https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-ewaste-and-

what-can-we-do-about-it.html

Electronic waste is very heavily disregarded that most peoples are unaware of its impacts on the ecosystem. It can affect habitats, ecosystems, and poison much of the biodiversity in the area. It can affect water systems and create dangerous levels of pollution there as well. There are many types of e-waste from plugs and cords to cables. Current methods of disposal are just exporting the technologies but that is only shifting the problem to somewhere else instead of helping mitigate the issue.

It is safer to hang on to your electronics as much as you can, but there are also options to easily recycle them in an electronic waste disposal facility if they are simply unusable. They can be recycled into another product once they are disassembled. Another way to get rid of old equipment is to get it back to its original producer. They can use old devices and remove any hazardous materials before disposing of them if they are still in operation, and have a recycling program.

Cuthbertson, Anthony. (26 Nov. 2020) “Amazon and Apple ‘Dodging Responsibility’ for 

Electronic Waste.” Retrieved Feb 20, 2021, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/

gadgets-and-tech/amazon-apple-electronic-waste-b1762150.html. 

In response to the problem of emissions and climate change, many countries and companies around the world have taken a more responsible stance. Any nation creates waste, and it is for that purpose that global projects are introduced. Specifically, electronic waste poses something of a major challenge because of how hard it is to dispose of it in an environmentally sustainable way. This article explains how technical it is. Companies distribute their equipment and how they help deter environmental damage. It also includes and contrasts numerous countries and how they each cope with the rising challenge of emissions and climate change. However, companies like Amazon and Apple have been avoiding the responsibility of their electronic waste clean up and that is very upsetting since they are the ones in power to make a difference.

Electronic pollution has caused our world to have quite a few issues. It adds a significant amount of contaminants and it is extremely difficult to get rid of several devices. It is mentioned in this article that the UK sends approximately 40 percent of its electronic waste abroad. This means that the components are not recycled in these products and cannot be used in new devices. They’re polluting the atmosphere instead. It is important to remember that Britain has such a huge volume of electronic waste that it can not treat it well.

Cunningham, K. (2020, November 17). New study highlights the rise in e-waste

during global pandemic. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from

https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/study-highlights-pandemic-drives-increase-e-waste/

With the onset of the pandemic, companies are investing more heavily into new forms of technology. This new technology will end up replacing pre existing ones as they are more versatile and adaptable to unanticipated conditions. This will consequently create global, e-waste effects as companies are in the midst of their transitions to new electronic devices. As people are upgrading their technology, they are contributing to the worsening e-waste issue. However, this is the fuel that keeps our economy and technologies continuously running.

It is great to see that we are making the transition from office space to homes and creating less emission in the process. However, I completely ignored the transition of technologies and the detrimental impacts they have on the environment. I think we should work on creating more recyclable technologies, and technologies that rely on software updates as opposed to hardware to adapt.

Giller, G. (December 1, 2020). Electronic waste on the Decline, new study finds. 

Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https://environment.yale.edu/

news/article/electronic-waste-on-the-decline-new-study-finds/

Many successful ways to deal with electronic waste have come along with our ever-advancing technologies. This paper shows how new electronic waste regulations have helped reduce the amount of emissions and the effect on the environment. In addition, they had detrimental effects on our atmosphere because many of our older devices were bulkier and made up of more metals. Combined with modern and more powerful electronic products, the combination of newer recycling technologies makes waste less toxic. 

Making sure that our electronic equipment is correctly recycled is the best way to ensure protection for our environment and the world. They can release dangerous metals and other substances into the atmosphere when electronics are disposed of. Not only California, but a number of places around the world strive to clean up this process. The recycling process requires the disassembly of potentially harmful products, such as batteries made of lithium-ion.

Conversation, T. (2021, January 11). E-Waste management is not keeping pace

with consumer electronics. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from

https://www.ecowatch.com/ewaste-consumer-electronics-2649872499.html?rebelltitem=10#rebelltitem10

As technology is increasing and taking up a larger role in our lives, it is creating larger amounts of electronic waste as a byproduct. Even though we might be implementing better practices that limit our electronic waste, we are still producing large amounts of it. This is due in part to quick and short lived technology that is designed to be replaced after a fixed shelf life. In addition, technologies are changing so rapidly that we are disposing of old technologies.

Even in my own life, I have seen an increasing dependence on technology. I have purchased more electronic devices in the last few years than ever before. Because it is trendy to buy the latest products, it is having detrimental effects on global health. Since these technologies are so accessible, several individuals are contributing to this effect. We are not able to manage the increasing electronic waste as a result. We need to look into software as opposed to hardware updates.

Mendoza, N. (2020, July 14). Global e-waste is up 21% in 5 years, causing serious environmental harm. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/global-e-waste-is-up-21-in-5-years-causing-

serious-environmental-harm/

The US currently generates 13.3 kg of electronic waste per capita, with only 9.4% being documented for collection and proper recycling. In stark contrast, 42.5% of Europe’s electronic waste is being documented. This suggests that the United States is lacking in its methodologies and has a thing or two to learn from its European counterparts. With higher levels of disposable incomes in the United States, many are spending more on new electronic waste, where it has surged by 21% in the past 5 years, and it will continue to rise. Around 130 million cell phones are thrown away each year in the United States and that number keeps rowing because of our “upgrade culture.”

With these numbers going up, I am scared of what’s in stock. However, Europe seems to be handling this much better than us, so there is definitely room for improvement. I think larger corporations should move away from their practices of planned obsolescence and move over to building quality products to eliminate their need for replacement.

Colleen Graffy, O. (2020, July 13). Customers shouldn’t be responsible for e-waste – producers should be. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/507018-customers-shouldnt-be-Responsible-for-e-waste-producers-should-be

With increasing electronic waste, much of it ends up in foreign countries. While it may lead Americans to believe that the problems end there, it goes much further. Toxic metals infest the produce consumed by us. Much of confidential data stored in thrown away hard drives poses security risks. In addition, several counterfeit products are created utilizing materials from this waste that can end up back in the hands of the Americans. Only half of the states have any sort of e-waste recycling legislation, and many are simply uninformed about where to dispose of their electronic goods. Unless the producer is responsible for the end to end consumption of these goods, waste will continue to grow. In addition, it incentivizes producers to make poorer quality products to benefit off obsolescence. 

I agree with much of what this article states. It was surprising to hear about the different use cases of electronic waste and of all the different ways it impacts my own life. With all the ways it can affect us, it is important for these larger corporations to take ownership of their own doing and allow for easier disposal mechanisms. This would allow them to not concede their brand to as many counterfeits and also do good for the environment.