Link to article:
http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2008/7/30/technology/20080730163036&sec=technology
Unwanted cellphones are regarded as one of the e-wastes. E-wastes are generally defined as ‘used’ electrical and electronic products cover a wide range of products from as big as a refrigerator to as small as a calculator, alarm clock, electronic thermometer or laser pointer.
Proper e-waste management is important due to the tremendous increase in quantity of e-waste, its growth in increasing complexity and the toxic ingredients it contain such as lead, beryllium, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. These are highly hazardous and pose both occupational and environmental health threats. However in Malaysia, e-waste is yet to be taken seriously by industries, governments and consumers mainly because its impacts on the public are not immediate unlike municipal solid wastes which affect our daily life.
The recycling programme initiated by Nokia is one of the options of e-waste management. This programme makes it easier for consumers to recycle mobile phones where it has set up kiosks in public places for consumers to drop off their old or unused handphones for recycling. To reward those who do so, Nokia will plant a tree in their name at Sebangau National Park in central Kalimantan, under the NEWTrees Initiative (a collaboration with WWF Indonesia and Equinox Publishing).
This recycling programme initiated by Nokia should be taken as an example for other electrical and electronic manufacturer to encourage customers to recycle the old or unwanted products. Electrical and electronic manufacturers need to commit their policy towards the environment and have a ‘take back’ system to collect back the used products.
Besides recycle, reduce and reuse is also one of the options e-waste management. The higher standard of living and purchasing power has resulted in many discarding functioning electrical and electronics appliances. Donating, giving away or selling usable electrical and electronics appliances to other people or secondhand shops will extend the lifespan of the products and keep them out of the waste management system for a longer time.
In addition, we should be a wise consumer. While buying electronics and electrical appliances, the consumers should opt for those products that have the least toxic constituents, use recycled contents, are energy efficient, utilise minimal packaging and are designed for easy upgrading or dis-assembly. Priority should also be given to manufacturers of appliances that offer leasing or take back options for the e-wastes.
As the world of technology keeps progressing at an unprecedented rate, more and more diverse types of e-wastes will be discarded into the waste stream. Tremendous amounts of e-wastes will result in disastrous consequences if not managed properly as e-wastes contain highly hazardous substances that pose serious threats to human health and the environment as a whole. With effective e-wastes management, e-wastes could be regarded as valuable resources rather than sheer waste.
http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2008/7/30/technology/20080730163036&sec=technology
Unwanted cellphones are regarded as one of the e-wastes. E-wastes are generally defined as ‘used’ electrical and electronic products cover a wide range of products from as big as a refrigerator to as small as a calculator, alarm clock, electronic thermometer or laser pointer.
Proper e-waste management is important due to the tremendous increase in quantity of e-waste, its growth in increasing complexity and the toxic ingredients it contain such as lead, beryllium, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. These are highly hazardous and pose both occupational and environmental health threats. However in Malaysia, e-waste is yet to be taken seriously by industries, governments and consumers mainly because its impacts on the public are not immediate unlike municipal solid wastes which affect our daily life.
The recycling programme initiated by Nokia is one of the options of e-waste management. This programme makes it easier for consumers to recycle mobile phones where it has set up kiosks in public places for consumers to drop off their old or unused handphones for recycling. To reward those who do so, Nokia will plant a tree in their name at Sebangau National Park in central Kalimantan, under the NEWTrees Initiative (a collaboration with WWF Indonesia and Equinox Publishing).
This recycling programme initiated by Nokia should be taken as an example for other electrical and electronic manufacturer to encourage customers to recycle the old or unwanted products. Electrical and electronic manufacturers need to commit their policy towards the environment and have a ‘take back’ system to collect back the used products.
Besides recycle, reduce and reuse is also one of the options e-waste management. The higher standard of living and purchasing power has resulted in many discarding functioning electrical and electronics appliances. Donating, giving away or selling usable electrical and electronics appliances to other people or secondhand shops will extend the lifespan of the products and keep them out of the waste management system for a longer time.
In addition, we should be a wise consumer. While buying electronics and electrical appliances, the consumers should opt for those products that have the least toxic constituents, use recycled contents, are energy efficient, utilise minimal packaging and are designed for easy upgrading or dis-assembly. Priority should also be given to manufacturers of appliances that offer leasing or take back options for the e-wastes.
As the world of technology keeps progressing at an unprecedented rate, more and more diverse types of e-wastes will be discarded into the waste stream. Tremendous amounts of e-wastes will result in disastrous consequences if not managed properly as e-wastes contain highly hazardous substances that pose serious threats to human health and the environment as a whole. With effective e-wastes management, e-wastes could be regarded as valuable resources rather than sheer waste.
3 comments:
YEs, I agree with this article that we shall have proper e-waste management. Does MAlaysian have any e-waste management or regulation???
I am not sure whether there is e-waste management regulation in Malaysia, will check out for it. But i feel that awareness on e-waste management in Malaysia still poor and more programme as initiated by Nokia need to be carried out.
Ya me too agree with the fact that we should manage our electrical waste and turn in into monetary values just like recycling metals, plastics and papers.
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