221
dismantling, burning, roasting, melting and acid bath are hugely popular in the
illegal workshops and factories in the developing countries because of their
operational ease and low cost (Ren et al. 2014). These processes/methods, however,
contribute immensely to the pollution of surrounding aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems and atmosphere (Fu et al. 2008). Emission or formation of highly toxic
metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, Hg, Li, Be, Ba, etc.) and pollutants like polyhalogenated organics
including polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers,
polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans occurs during recycling of
E-waste and causes pollution of the ambient environment (Wang et al. 2005; Sharma
et al. 2018). In a study conducted by Liu et al. (2008), soil, biota and plant samples
from an E-waste recycling site in South China showed contamination with
significantly higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl
ethers and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans as compared to
control sites. Sjödin et al. (1999) also found significantly higher levels of
polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the serum of workers at E-waste recycling
factories. Adverse effects of E-waste recycling are evident on human health also.
Constant exposure of workers and local inhabitants to the toxic chemicals at these
Table 12.1 Comparing E-waste generated and heavy metal concentration between India, China
and Nigeria
India
China
Nigeria
E-waste
generated
1.7 Mt
6.0 Mt
0.22 Mt
Rate of
recycling
5%
34.6%
ND
Air
Cr, 18; Mn, 59.6; Cu,
111; Zn, 191; Mo,
81.6 ng/m
3
Mechanical workshop: Cr,
0.554; Cu, 27.76; Cd, 0.108;
Pb, 12.34 mg/g (manual)
ND
Workshop: Cr, 0.436; Cu, 31.80;
Cd, 0.398; Pb, 02.043 mg/g
Water
Waste leachate: Al, 1315;
Cd <1; Cu, 185; Ni, 9;
Pb, 4; Zn, 17 ppm
Well: Cd, 5.60; Cr, 0.058; Cu,
112; Mn, 138; Ni, 3.07; Pb,
1.37
Well: Pb, 1.8; Cd,
0.006; Zn, 0.84; Cr,
0.25; Ni, 1.23
Soil
DS: Cr, 73; Cd, 2.33; Cu,
592; Mn, 449; Pb, 297;
Zn, 326
DS: Cd, 52; Cr, 2.51; Cu, 107;
Mn, 1.01; Ni, 2.52; Pb, 111; Zn,
5.40
DS: Pb, 502; Cd,
7.82; Zn, 66.9; Cr,
32.65; Ni, 84.24
RS: Cr, 54; Cd, 0.47; Pb,
126; Mn, 619; Zn, 129;
Cu, 429 μg/g
BS: Cd, 195; Cr, 3.45; Cu, 413;
Mn, 1.12; Ni, 2.89; Pb, 115; Zn,
5.40
Human
health
Cr, 0.29; Mn, 1.16; Cu,
23; Zn, 141; Mo, 0.041;
Ag, 2.1 μg/g
As, 0.282; Cd, 0.209; Cr, 1.16;
Cu, 10.2; Mn, 1.03; Ni, 0.812;
Pb, 2.98 mg/g
ND
Adapted from: Awasthi et al. (2016)
ND no data, DS dumping site, RS recycling site, BS burning site
(a) Balde et al. (2015), (b) Ha et al. (2009), (c) Jha et al. (2011), (d) Wu et al. (2015), (e) Wang et al.
(2009), (f) Fang et al. (2013), and (g) Olafisoye et al. (2013)
12 E-waste and Their Implications on the Environment and Human Health
dismantling, burning, roasting, melting and acid bath are hugely popular in the
illegal workshops and factories in the developing countries because of their
operational ease and low cost (Ren et al. 2014). These processes/methods, however,
contribute immensely to the pollution of surrounding aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems and atmosphere (Fu et al. 2008). Emission or formation of highly toxic
metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, Hg, Li, Be, Ba, etc.) and pollutants like polyhalogenated organics
including polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers,
polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans occurs during recycling of
E-waste and causes pollution of the ambient environment (Wang et al. 2005; Sharma
et al. 2018). In a study conducted by Liu et al. (2008), soil, biota and plant samples
from an E-waste recycling site in South China showed contamination with
significantly higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl
ethers and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans as compared to
control sites. Sjödin et al. (1999) also found significantly higher levels of
polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the serum of workers at E-waste recycling
factories. Adverse effects of E-waste recycling are evident on human health also.
Constant exposure of workers and local inhabitants to the toxic chemicals at these
Table 12.1 Comparing E-waste generated and heavy metal concentration between India, China
and Nigeria
India
China
Nigeria
E-waste
generated
1.7 Mt
6.0 Mt
0.22 Mt
Rate of
recycling
5%
34.6%
ND
Air
Cr, 18; Mn, 59.6; Cu,
111; Zn, 191; Mo,
81.6 ng/m
3
Mechanical workshop: Cr,
0.554; Cu, 27.76; Cd, 0.108;
Pb, 12.34 mg/g (manual)
ND
Workshop: Cr, 0.436; Cu, 31.80;
Cd, 0.398; Pb, 02.043 mg/g
Water
Waste leachate: Al, 1315;
Cd <1; Cu, 185; Ni, 9;
Pb, 4; Zn, 17 ppm
Well: Cd, 5.60; Cr, 0.058; Cu,
112; Mn, 138; Ni, 3.07; Pb,
1.37
Well: Pb, 1.8; Cd,
0.006; Zn, 0.84; Cr,
0.25; Ni, 1.23
Soil
DS: Cr, 73; Cd, 2.33; Cu,
592; Mn, 449; Pb, 297;
Zn, 326
DS: Cd, 52; Cr, 2.51; Cu, 107;
Mn, 1.01; Ni, 2.52; Pb, 111; Zn,
5.40
DS: Pb, 502; Cd,
7.82; Zn, 66.9; Cr,
32.65; Ni, 84.24
RS: Cr, 54; Cd, 0.47; Pb,
126; Mn, 619; Zn, 129;
Cu, 429 μg/g
BS: Cd, 195; Cr, 3.45; Cu, 413;
Mn, 1.12; Ni, 2.89; Pb, 115; Zn,
5.40
Human
health
Cr, 0.29; Mn, 1.16; Cu,
23; Zn, 141; Mo, 0.041;
Ag, 2.1 μg/g
As, 0.282; Cd, 0.209; Cr, 1.16;
Cu, 10.2; Mn, 1.03; Ni, 0.812;
Pb, 2.98 mg/g
ND
Adapted from: Awasthi et al. (2016)
ND no data, DS dumping site, RS recycling site, BS burning site
(a) Balde et al. (2015), (b) Ha et al. (2009), (c) Jha et al. (2011), (d) Wu et al. (2015), (e) Wang et al.
(2009), (f) Fang et al. (2013), and (g) Olafisoye et al. (2013)
12 E-waste and Their Implications on the Environment and Human Health