Solutions and Motivations for Better Electronic Waste Management

Abstract

With an increase in the production of advanced technological devices and appliances nowadays, there is a rapid growth of electronic waste (e-waste) across the world. E-waste has a toxic environmental and economic impact on our society. Fifty million metric tons of e-waste are disposed of, and this data continues to rise. As a result, waste management has become outdated in many parts of the world, especially in North America. Current disposal methods such as landfilling, incinerating, and recycling are analyzed; however, the consequences of such methods outweigh the benefits. These environmentally unfriendly methods cause significant harm to the human body and release dangerous chemicals into the water and land that people live in. New and potential procedures are then analyzed, which mainly include strengthening disposing of, collection, and recycling infrastructure and implementing new federal legislation. Through countries’ governments, Extended Producer Responsibility, as well as Right to Repair, are taken apart to disclose the findings of its effectiveness.