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The term E-waste is associated with waste from electronic equipment while
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) includes waste from electrical as well as electronic goods.
The composition of E-waste depends on the type and age of the redundant electronic item. Most of the E-wastes contain metals, plastics, and ceramics.
Study of 23 published epidemiological studies in southeast China (Tseng et al.
2008) recorded reasonable outcomes linked with exposure to e-waste such as
adverse neonatal outcomes, cellular expression as well as function, decreased lung
function, change in thyroid function, and changes in temperament and behavior.
Researchers have associated e-waste with inflammation and oxidative stress,
cancer besides DNA damage (Fangxing et al. 2011).
The solid waste is disposed on land by: (a) dumping; (b) landfill; (c) surface
deposition; (d) superficial subsurface deposition; and (e) deep well injection.
The waste is disposed into water that includes ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans
from where contaminants reach the subsurface waters apart from septic tanks, leaky
lagoons, and storage tanks by accident.
Waste disposal in air by burning of waste such as crop residues, municipal
wastes, and sludge from wastewater treatment can cause air pollution and associated
health risk.
Use of waste as a “fertilizer” or soil conditioner can contaminate soil with pathogens and toxic substance. The pathogens and toxins in food crops can reach humans
and impose health issues. The indiscriminate disposal can also result in fly born
disease such as enteric diseases, loiasis, myiasis, Ozzard’s filariasis, onchocerciasis,
leishmaniasis, yaws, African sleeping sickness (trypanosorniasis), catarrhal conjunctivitis, tularemia, bartonellosis, and sandfly fever.
The sickness associated with waste can also be liked with possible fly-borne
diseases such as anthrax, protozoal infestations, salmonellosis, trachoma, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis.
Flies carry parasites pathogenic to humans and transmit them to cause human
infection. The potential for human infections will increase when personal practices
or community permit accumulations of fly-breeding media that are in solid wastes
of animal and human origins. Number of fly species breed in huge numbers in animal/human excreta, food wastes, dead animals, and sewage sludge. Disposals of
avian manures as well as feathers spread of pathogenic soil fungi that may continue
as a fungal infection for numerous years (Hanks 1967).
Infant mortality or Birth defects may be linked to direct contact with solid waste,
drinking of contaminated water, or inhaling of air contaminants (Carcellar 1996;
Cointreau 2006; Croen 1998; Nath 1991; Schantz and McAuley 1991). Animals can
become reservoirs of human pathogens when they feed or come in contact with
human feces, sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, and others. Wastes from slaughterhouses can result in mad cow disease.
Major influenza pandemics occurred in following years in 1918 (Spanish flu),
1957 (Asian flu), 1968 (Hong Kong flu), and swine flu in 2009 (Meghna et al. 2009).
These outbreaks have different with respect to the responsible pathogen extent of
6.5 Impact of Solid Waste on Health
The term E-waste is associated with waste from electronic equipment while
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) includes waste from electrical as well as electronic goods.
The composition of E-waste depends on the type and age of the redundant electronic item. Most of the E-wastes contain metals, plastics, and ceramics.
Study of 23 published epidemiological studies in southeast China (Tseng et al.
2008) recorded reasonable outcomes linked with exposure to e-waste such as
adverse neonatal outcomes, cellular expression as well as function, decreased lung
function, change in thyroid function, and changes in temperament and behavior.
Researchers have associated e-waste with inflammation and oxidative stress,
cancer besides DNA damage (Fangxing et al. 2011).
The solid waste is disposed on land by: (a) dumping; (b) landfill; (c) surface
deposition; (d) superficial subsurface deposition; and (e) deep well injection.
The waste is disposed into water that includes ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans
from where contaminants reach the subsurface waters apart from septic tanks, leaky
lagoons, and storage tanks by accident.
Waste disposal in air by burning of waste such as crop residues, municipal
wastes, and sludge from wastewater treatment can cause air pollution and associated
health risk.
Use of waste as a “fertilizer” or soil conditioner can contaminate soil with pathogens and toxic substance. The pathogens and toxins in food crops can reach humans
and impose health issues. The indiscriminate disposal can also result in fly born
disease such as enteric diseases, loiasis, myiasis, Ozzard’s filariasis, onchocerciasis,
leishmaniasis, yaws, African sleeping sickness (trypanosorniasis), catarrhal conjunctivitis, tularemia, bartonellosis, and sandfly fever.
The sickness associated with waste can also be liked with possible fly-borne
diseases such as anthrax, protozoal infestations, salmonellosis, trachoma, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis.
Flies carry parasites pathogenic to humans and transmit them to cause human
infection. The potential for human infections will increase when personal practices
or community permit accumulations of fly-breeding media that are in solid wastes
of animal and human origins. Number of fly species breed in huge numbers in animal/human excreta, food wastes, dead animals, and sewage sludge. Disposals of
avian manures as well as feathers spread of pathogenic soil fungi that may continue
as a fungal infection for numerous years (Hanks 1967).
Infant mortality or Birth defects may be linked to direct contact with solid waste,
drinking of contaminated water, or inhaling of air contaminants (Carcellar 1996;
Cointreau 2006; Croen 1998; Nath 1991; Schantz and McAuley 1991). Animals can
become reservoirs of human pathogens when they feed or come in contact with
human feces, sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, and others. Wastes from slaughterhouses can result in mad cow disease.
Major influenza pandemics occurred in following years in 1918 (Spanish flu),
1957 (Asian flu), 1968 (Hong Kong flu), and swine flu in 2009 (Meghna et al. 2009).
These outbreaks have different with respect to the responsible pathogen extent of
6.5 Impact of Solid Waste on Health