Different sustainable design criteria
Electronic waste is one of the major sustainable issues that the world is facing. Electronic waste describes useless electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are intended for salvage, recycling, reuse, resale, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries alias third world nations can lead to adverse human health effects as well as environmental pollution. Electronic waste refers to the piling of electronic devices and throwing them instead of recycling them. It is reported that most electronics contain a harmful chemical which poses various challenges to the human. In the developed countries, it is indicated that various people tend to use such type of electronic and dispose of them once something new comes in the market. This means that they might not use a certain electronic device for a longer period. As such, once they are able to acquire a new one, they end up disposing off the old electronic devices. In the past, some companies used to purchase those electronics for the purpose of recycling them. However, with the increased level of technology, it is not likely that people will be able to purchase old electronics. Based on that information, the government has developed a program that helps in collecting such type of devices and disposing them to avoid causing any hazards to the communities. One of the major aspects of such electronic is the fact that they do not decompose. This means that once they are thrown on the ground, they will remain in that place for a very long period (Kang, 2015). It is also indicated that some people tend to bury such type of devices believing that they have properly disposed them off. However, with the information provided, those type of electronics will not discompose meaning they will end up polluting the soil as they contain those particles. Environmentalist argues that 34% of water pollution is caused by such type of electronic waste (Wong, 2017). For example, most of those devices are manufactured using lead. Scientific reports have indicated that leads are very harmful once it is mixed with water (Babu, 2017). This shows that once the electronic waste is disposed in any place and it remains, the chemical can easily be drained into the water bodies which would end up being used by human for various purposes. Based on that information, it is certain that it possess major health risks to the human beings.
Sustainable solution for electronic waste issue
The sustainability design refers to the ways in which the electronic waste could be evaluated to determine the impact they have on the environment. One of the designs is through using modern technology to measure the impact of such waste on the soil particles. It is reported that most of such wastes do not decompose. In that way, they will contaminate the soil particle for the very long period (Hicks, 2015). Another design to establish the best way of disposing of such electronic waste without polluting the environment or posing any hazards to the community. The design should also involve the communities since they are the most affected people once such type of electronic waste is disposed off. Based on the reported, it is noted that the people should be enlightened about the best ways of re-using some of those products instead of disposing them. Recycling them when they wear out is much better since the process comes along with other benefits such as employment creation.
To address the issue of electronic waste, it is important to analyze the different solutions of dealing with that problem. One of the recommended solutions is to recycle the electronic waste. It is important for people to understand that they can put good use of such types of electronics. For example, some of the computer waste could be used to make other household items instead of dumping them. Also, based on the increased level of technology, such type of computer devices could be sold in which companies would use them to manufacture other objects. Some of the developed countries like China tend to purchase such type of electronics and use them in the manufacturing of other substances which would be beneficial to the society. For example, the computer waste is modified in a certain way in which they are re-sold to other developing countries around the world at a cheaper rate. Reports have shown that China tends to earn about $33 billion annually as a result of recycling those old computers. In addition, the move has led to the employment of a lot of their citizens (Cui, 2018). It is certain that other countries could emulate the same measure. Another solution is the fact that the electronic waste could be broken down and the metals are removed (Chi, 2015). Most of the metals used to manufacture different types of electronics are easily modified and could be used in the design of another element. However, most of the people lack the right type of technologies that would help them re-uses such type of lead metals. The government should be on the forefront to educate people on how they will be able to carry out such a process. E-waste is another solution that could be used to deal with electronic waste. The use of E-waste is an online programmer in which people are educated on how they can properly dispose of such type of products to avoid polluting the environment. The United States is one of the countries that have benefited from the use of E-waste. In fact, it has led to the employment of many people as they only require using the internet to conduct such businesses. Other countries should emulate similar programs for the purpose of avoiding polluting the environment. One of the major stakeholders is the government who should be responsible for training the people on how to deal with electronic waste.
Identifying stakeholders and their interests
While making the solutions, it is important to identify the stakeholders involved in that process. Based on the environmental reports, one of the major stakeholders in that electronic waste is the government. Since they are responsible in protecting the interest of the people, the government should mobilize how such electronic waste should be collected. In fact, it needs to pass a policy in which people should dump that electronic waste at a specified place to avoid any type of pollution. Another stakeholder are the citizens since they are the once who sue those type of electronics. The citizens should be enlightening on the danger so that electronic waste for them to take proper use of them.
It is reported that the united States tend to incur up to 33% of the total electronic waste around the globe. This shows that majority of the citizens in the country do not use electronic more than 4 years. Once they dump those used electronics, they will need new ones and the circle will continue. In fact, every year, the government and other relevant authorities collected almost 55 million tons of electronic waste around the country. The reports also indicate such number is likely to increase in the near future due to the increase usage of technologies (Liu, 2006).
One of the socio-ecological aspects of electronic waste is that it leads to the environmental pollution. Many people might assume that such type of waste cannot pose any hazard to the community if they are stored in a particular location. However, it is important for the community to understand that electronic waste contains different types of elements which are mixed with harmful chemicals (Sinha-Khetriwal, 2015). In that way, they can start to rust in which it can lead to injuring people. Another social-ecological aspect of electronic waste is that fact that many people could benefit from it. Once they are recycled, they can still be sued to serve different purposes.
When it comes to self-awareness, I believe that people should focus on the recycling processes of the different type of electronic waste. Instead of destroying such type of electronic waste, people should be more focused on how they will benefit from it. With the increased level of technology, new types of electronics are developed every day. This means that in the near future, there will be millions of electronic waste piling around the earth surface which poses a major health to the community (Nnorom, 2018). In that way, the government with the help of the community members should start improvising the best way of ensuring that electronic waste is put to better use. In so doing everybody will be safe from the various shortcomings associated with careless disposal of electronic waste.
Self-awareness of socio-ecological thinking process and values
One of the uncertainty aspects is that with the increased level of innovation, new types of devices are likely to be developed and the communities might not be aware of the chemicals that are used in that process. In that way, electronic waste could pose a major challenge to such people. Another uncertainty is the fact that people are not aware of the different types of chemicals that are used in the manufacture of this type of electronic wastes (Leung, 2017). There are million types of electronics around the world which are manufactured with different elements. Based on the reports, some of these electronic are modified using certain chemicals which pose various health hazards to the people. While they are new, they might be in proper form making it appear safe for humans. The moment such types of electronics wear out, they might release those chemicals in form of dusts. That is why some of those electronics have a certain stipulated period above which it should not be used anymore. People might not be certain on how such types of chemical will impact their lives. In that way, the government should ensure the safety of the people by properly decomposing those electronics.
References
Babu, B.R., Parande, A.K. and Basha, C.A., 2017. Electrical and electronic waste: a global environmental problem. Waste Management & Research, 25(4), pp.307-318.
Cui, J. and Zhang, L., 2018. Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: a review. Journal of hazardous materials, 158(2-3), pp.228-256.
Chi, X., Streicher-Porte, M., Wang, M.Y. and Reuter, M.A., 2015. Informal electronic waste recycling: a sector review with special focus on China. Waste Management, 31(4), pp.731-742.
Hicks, C., Dietmar, R. and Eugster, M., 2015. The recycling and disposal of electrical and electronic waste in China—legislative and market responses. Environmental impact assessment review, 25(5), pp.459-471.
Kang, H.Y. and Schoenung, J.M., 2015. Electronic waste recycling: A review of US infrastructure and technology options. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 45(4), pp.368-400.
Nnorom, I.C. and Osibanjo, O., 2018. Overview of electronic waste (e-waste) management practices and legislations, and their poor applications in the developing countries. Resources, conservation and recycling, 52(6), pp.843-858.
Leung, A.O., Luksemburg, W.J., Wong, A.S. and Wong, M.H., 2017. Spatial distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in soil and combusted residue at Guiyu, an electronic waste recycling site in southeast China. Environmental science & technology, 41(8), pp.2730-2737.
Leung, A., Cai, Z.W. and Wong, M.H., 2006. Environmental contamination from electronic waste recycling at Guiyu, southeast China. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 8(1), pp.21-33.
Liu, X., Tanaka, M. and Matsui, Y., 2006. Electrical and electronic waste management in China: progress and the barriers to overcome. Waste Management & Research, 24(1), pp.92-101.
Sinha-Khetriwal, D., Kraeuchi, P. and Schwaninger, M., 2015. A comparison of electronic waste recycling in Switzerland and in India. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 25(5), pp.492-504.
Wong, M.H., Wu, S.C., Deng, W.J., Yu, X.Z., Luo, Q., Leung, A.O.W., Wong, C.S.C., Luksemburg, W.J. and Wong, A.S., 2017. Export of toxic chemicals–a review of the case of uncontrolled electronic-waste recycling. Environmental Pollution, 149(2), pp.131-140.
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