'Poisoning people and the planet’: Britons to be worst e-waste offender in the world
'Mountains' of e-waste are being shipped by the UK to developing countries with concerning consequences
The UK has never been more obsessed with gadgets and our willingness to use and then discard broken or out-of-date phones, laptops and TVs is impacting some of the world's most vulnerable communities.
In fact, according to recent research, Britons are on course to become the worst contributors of electronic waste - or "e-waste" - in the world.
Data published by the Global E-waste monitor in 2020 and analysed by Uswitch in January this year found that the UK generates 23.9 kg per capita of e-waste, the second highest amount of per capita in the world - just behind Norway's 26 kg and Switzerland's 23.4 kg.
The study, the most recent from the monitoring group, also warned that Britons were on course to hit the top spot by 2024.
Global E-Waste Monitor told Yahoo News that it will publish the latest data in 2024, including on Europe and the UK.
The issue is considered so significant it is set to be discussed during COP28. Professor Richard Herrington, head of the earth sciences department at the Natural History Museum in London, who was part of the museum's delegation in the UAE on 4 December, told Yahoo News that e-waste was part of the agenda.
The impact on vulnerable communities was likely a key talking point. "Whole computers are sent to China, Africa or India, where entire villages including children just sort components,' Herrington has previously said.
Jim Puckett, executive director at environmental watchdog, Basel Action Network (BAN), echoed the warnings, telling Yahoo News: “The mountains of e-waste humans are producing tend to find their way far too quickly and easily on a path of least economic resistance to developing countries."
Read more: COP28: What is it, who's going and what are the key sticking points?
What is e-waste?
Electronic waste refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices such as old or obsolete computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, televisions and refrigerators..
E-waste can contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can pose environmental and health risks if not properly managed.
In the last year, the UK discarded nearly half a billion small "FastTech" electronics, like headphones and mini fans, according to a research by Material Focus.
That means these items, which cost around £4 on average, are being chucked away at a rate of one product every 16 seconds and include 260 million disposable vapes, 26 million cables, 29 million lights, 9.8 million USB sticks, and 4.8 million mini fans.
According to a House of Commons environmental audit committee report, approximately 40% of the UK’s e-waste is illegally exported to be disposed of in other countries, fuelling a dangerous industry by putting millions of children’s health and that of women of childbearing age at risk in developing countries.
How does the UK dispose of e-waste?
E-waste, now known as WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) is regulated by the UK government with a view to reducing the amount of broken or unwanted items that are dumped in landfill, resulting in toxic substances such as lead and mercury leaching into the soil and water.
In addition, they contain valuable non-renewable resources such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, aluminium and cobalt. Anything that has a plug, battery or cable is classed as WEEE waste.
Read more: Climate change will jump to a whole new level in 2024 thanks to El Niño
Under the government’s set annual targets, electrical appliance manufacturers are expected to meet these targets. 2023 WEEE target is set at 511,376 tonnes.
Failure to do see results in a compliance fee, which is paid into the WEEE Fund.
This fund is used to improve the WEEE system, including research, behaviour change activities, communications and the implementation of more recycling points across the UK.
“The majority of waste electricals that are sent for recycling in the UK are managed by reputable waste companies in the UK," Scott Butler, executive director at Material Focus told Yahoo News.
"However, we are concerned that there are some illegal exports of waste electricals which should instead be safely recycled in the UK."
Despite the UN Basel Convention regulations on hazardous waste trade, questionable recycling firms act as brokers and some export e-waste to less developed nations.
By exploiting lax labour laws, weak environmental regulations, and poor human rights records, these companies shift dismantling and recycling responsibilities to poorer countries, turning former farming villages in places like Vietnam, China, and Nigeria into toxic e-waste dumping grounds, according to BAN.
In these communities, so-called "recycling" often involves harmful practices like burning circuit boards, acid-soaking microchips, and toxic plastic burning, "poison people and the planet".
Impact of e-waste disposal
E-waste exposure may be linked to increased rates of stillbirth and premature birth, learning and behaviour outcomes and respiratory conditions especially associated with lead released through informal e-waste recycling activities, according to the World Health Organization.
Digital dumpsites are prone to scavenging, dumping in land or water, landfilling alongside regular waste, open burning, acid baths, stripping plastic coatings, and manual disassembly of equipment.
The UN reports the world generates 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste and is projected to grow to 75.7 million tonnes by 2030.
"The wastes - which are in fact toxic wastes - are exported, often illegally, to Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa, where only a fraction of their value is recovered, and the recycling processes used are highly polluting and harmful to workers" said Puckett.
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) works to mitigate risk to people working as e-waste recyclers and cite that the main challenge in Bangladesh lies in the lack of any kind of formal channel to recycle e-waste, as well as any formal laws or regulations to monitor it.
"A significant portion of e-waste is handled by informal recyclers, often in unsafe environments, leading to severe health and environmental hazards," BRAC told Yahoo News, adding that in some workplaces there are no safety precautions in case a fire breaks out.
Action on e-waste
A lack of effective monitoring of illegal e-waste dumping amid a growing industry severely impacts on the world’s poorest.
“People want the things they own to be long-lasting and repairable, but the UK generates more e-waste more than three times the global average. One reason for this contradiction is it can be difficult and expensive to repair our gadgets or buy them second-hand," Libby Peake, head of resource policy at Green Alliance, told Yahoo News.
She added that the UK government could ensure that products are designed with repair in mind, making it clear how easy it is to repair products when they’re sold, and eliminating VAT on spare parts and repair work.
For those looking to dispose of their electronic goods correctly, Material Focus's Butler advised people to go to the Recycle Your Electricals to locate their nearest recycling point.
Watch The E-waste Tragedy
