The following article is submitted by Dave Avran, founder of A Greener Malaysia
Malaysia has become one of the fastest e-waste generators in Southeast Asia. The increasing generation of e-waste in Malaysia is due to the illegal dumping of electronic goods nearby, such as the Sungai Karang Pelek forest reserve in the Sepang district, The rapid advent of technology in the late 20th century increased the rate at which electronic goods were produced and utilized. As developed countries produced new electronic products, the older, discarded products were exported to other developing countries, leading to the rapid growth of electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries.
Illegal dumping has resulted in unmanaged electronic products in landfills that can pollute the surrounding environment. Over time, these products will start to lose their metallic coating, and the elements contained within the products will leach into the soil, affecting the microorganism communities located below ground, where the organic materials from the products are also infiltrated down the soil due to the rainfall and other extreme weather effects on the illegal dumping area.
The release of heavy metals and other chemical substances from electronic products will negatively impact the health of the surrounding plants. When consuming these plants, herbivores will be similarly affected. High concentration of heavy metals is also a threat to human health. The leakage of this metal is caused by the high acidity of electronic products. It can be harmful to the central nervous system, urinary and reproductive systems and in fact to all other body systems.
e-waste is any item of electrical or electronic equipment that has been discarded or considered obsolete or unwanted. Waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste) is currently the most rapidly growing waste stream in the world. Any item that uses a power supply or a battery and is discarded is e-waste.
It includes a wide range of manufactured electronic and electrical items such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, personal computers, mobile phones, transceivers and many others. E-waste is considered hazardous as it may contain substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, hexavalent chromium and flame-retardant toxic chemicals.
Due to the ever-shorter lifespan of electronic items, disposal of e-waste is a growing problem. The hazardous parts of e-waste need to be suitably managed and disposed of in a proper and safe manner to avoid causing pollution and health problems.
The fast growth in e-waste generation is a challenge to all parties involved in its management - manufacturers, sellers, governments and waste collectors and processors.
Malaysia must take firm and decisive action to halt the illegal importation of e-waste and establish a legal framework for the supervision of e-waste processing. This is crucial, as the management of domestic e-waste in Malaysia has never been adequately evaluated, which undermines the principles of a circular economy that advocates for the transformation of waste into wealth.
The economic advantages of legalizing and monitoring proper e-waste processing are substantial. The potential for job creation within the green technology sector, opportunities for technology transfer and the economic uplift from licensing and taxation will foster the development of a new industry centered on sustainability.
With advancements in green technology the remnants from processing e-waste can be turned into bricks and tiles for the construction industry, reducing depletion of our natural resources.there are concerns regarding the health impacts of damage to the surrounding ecosystems.
Illegal dumping has resulted in unmanaged electronic products in landfills that can pollute the surrounding environment. Over time, these products will start to lose their metallic coating, and the elements contained within the products will leach into the soil, affecting the microorganism communities located below ground, where the organic materials from the products are also infiltrated down the soil due to the rainfall and other extreme weather effects on the illegal dumping area.
The release of heavy metals and other chemical substances from electronic products will negatively impact the health of the surrounding plants. When consuming these plants, herbivores will be similarly affected. High concentration of heavy metals is also a threat to human health. The leakage of this metal is caused by the high acidity of electronic products. It can be harmful to the central nervous system, urinary and reproductive systems and in fact to all other body systems.
Definition and Types of e-Waste
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste) is currently the most rapidly growing waste stream in the world. Any item that uses a power supply or a battery and is discarded is e-waste. It includes a wide range of manufactured electronic and electrical items such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, personal computers, mobile phones, transceivers and many others.
E-waste is considered hazardous as it may contain substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, hexavalent chromium and flame-retardant toxic chemicals.Due to the ever-shorter lifespan of electronic items, disposal of e-waste is a growing problem. The hazardous parts of e-waste need to be suitably managed and disposed of in a proper and safe manner to avoid causing pollution and health problems.
The economic advantages of legalizing and monitoring proper e-waste processing are substantial. The potential for job creation within the green technology sector, opportunities for technology transfer and the economic uplift from licensing and taxation will foster the development of a new industry centered on sustainability. With advancements in green technology the remnants from processing e-waste can be turned into bricks and tiles for the construction industry, reducing depletion of our natural resources.
