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implications for the environment and human health resulting from release and
exposure to toxic emissions and constituents. In view of the above, the present
chapter attempts to provide a brief insight on the global trends of E-waste generation,
critical issues and challenges associated with E-waste and its effects on environmental
and human health, thereby highlighting the need for sustainable environmental
management of this newer waste stream.
Keywords E-waste · Heavy metal toxicity · Environment · Human health ·
Sustainable waste management
12.1 Introduction
Technological revolution and advancement in the field of the electrical and electronic equipment are unprecedented in the present twenty-first century. Evidently,
the developed nations of the world use more than 900 different types of electronic
and electrical goods and gadgets (Huisman et al. 2012). Tremendous growth in the
electronics market resulting from higher consumer demand and relatively short
useful life of equipment/gadgets especially personal computers, laptops, tablets,
smartphones, television sets, kitchen appliances, etc. has led to generation of a
newer and bigger waste stream comprising of outdated electronic goods popularly
referred to as E-waste, i.e. Electronic waste (Wong et al. 2007; Nnorom and Osibanjo
2008; Dwivedy and Mittal 2010). With the growth rate of 4% per year, the world
currently generates nearly 50 million tons of E-waste annually, making it one of the
fastest-growing streams of solid waste (UNEP 2005; Wang et al. 2013). According
to an estimate, more than 130 million computers and television sets become obsolete
in the USA on an annual basis. During the years 1997–2007, more than 500 million
computers in the USA and around 610 million till 2010 in Japan were discarded
(Bushehri 2010). E-waste is a complex category of solid waste containing both
valuable and hazardous substances such as plastics, precious and non-precious
metals (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Fe, Cu, Al, etc.), Pb-containing glass, Hg, Cd-containing
batteries, toxic organics, flame retardants and chlorofluorocarbons (Wang et al.
2012). Improper handling and management of E-wastes may result in loss of
resources and also cause environmental damage (Table 12.1).
Burgeoning amounts of E-waste generation and its hazardous constituents, transboundary movement and disposal issues have aroused significant environmental
concerns worldwide and especially in developing countries pertaining to their
growing consumption rates and imports from developed nations. Nearly 80% of the
electronic goods or E-waste rejected from the developed countries on account of
being old and less eco-friendly is carried across the developing nations (Hicks et al.
2005). Lack of proper legal framework and policies regarding safe disposal of
imported E-waste in developing countries of Asia and Africa further intensifies the
problem with serious implications to the environment and human health (Kiddee
et al. 2013). Unregulated and primitive techniques of E-waste recycling such as
B. Vaish et al.
implications for the environment and human health resulting from release and
exposure to toxic emissions and constituents. In view of the above, the present
chapter attempts to provide a brief insight on the global trends of E-waste generation,
critical issues and challenges associated with E-waste and its effects on environmental
and human health, thereby highlighting the need for sustainable environmental
management of this newer waste stream.
Keywords E-waste · Heavy metal toxicity · Environment · Human health ·
Sustainable waste management
12.1 Introduction
Technological revolution and advancement in the field of the electrical and electronic equipment are unprecedented in the present twenty-first century. Evidently,
the developed nations of the world use more than 900 different types of electronic
and electrical goods and gadgets (Huisman et al. 2012). Tremendous growth in the
electronics market resulting from higher consumer demand and relatively short
useful life of equipment/gadgets especially personal computers, laptops, tablets,
smartphones, television sets, kitchen appliances, etc. has led to generation of a
newer and bigger waste stream comprising of outdated electronic goods popularly
referred to as E-waste, i.e. Electronic waste (Wong et al. 2007; Nnorom and Osibanjo
2008; Dwivedy and Mittal 2010). With the growth rate of 4% per year, the world
currently generates nearly 50 million tons of E-waste annually, making it one of the
fastest-growing streams of solid waste (UNEP 2005; Wang et al. 2013). According
to an estimate, more than 130 million computers and television sets become obsolete
in the USA on an annual basis. During the years 1997–2007, more than 500 million
computers in the USA and around 610 million till 2010 in Japan were discarded
(Bushehri 2010). E-waste is a complex category of solid waste containing both
valuable and hazardous substances such as plastics, precious and non-precious
metals (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Fe, Cu, Al, etc.), Pb-containing glass, Hg, Cd-containing
batteries, toxic organics, flame retardants and chlorofluorocarbons (Wang et al.
2012). Improper handling and management of E-wastes may result in loss of
resources and also cause environmental damage (Table 12.1).
Burgeoning amounts of E-waste generation and its hazardous constituents, transboundary movement and disposal issues have aroused significant environmental
concerns worldwide and especially in developing countries pertaining to their
growing consumption rates and imports from developed nations. Nearly 80% of the
electronic goods or E-waste rejected from the developed countries on account of
being old and less eco-friendly is carried across the developing nations (Hicks et al.
2005). Lack of proper legal framework and policies regarding safe disposal of
imported E-waste in developing countries of Asia and Africa further intensifies the
problem with serious implications to the environment and human health (Kiddee
et al. 2013). Unregulated and primitive techniques of E-waste recycling such as
B. Vaish et al.