The Final Destination of E-waste

Most e-waste comes from developed countries. It is sent to China, India, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Vietnam from developed countries such as USA and EU countries.

Delhi, India – Electronic waste collects in piles at Seelampur in Delhi, India. India’s growing digital economy has contributed to the amount of e-waste it generates. E-waste is growing approximately four times faster than other waste streams.
Photo Credit: UN Photo/ Kibae Park – i tell a story.com

Why is e-waste being shipped to developing countries? To put it simply, the cost of operating a recycling plant can be high, especially when we factor in labor that is needed to sort through waste. Many recycling companies that claim to be sustainable and environmentally conscious still choose to send their waste overseas instead of processing it in their own countries.

E-waste represents 70% of overall toxic waste. Electronic devices consist of a number of hazardous chemicals, including lead (납), mercury (수은), arsenic (비소), cadmium (카드뮴 – 일본 이따이이따이병 원인), copper (구리), barium (바륨), and chromium (크로뮴). When e-waste is brought to a landfill, these substances will eventually begin to leak from devices, where it can absorb into the ground and contaminate the water supply.

The problem is that, unlike their developed counterparts, developing countries do not have safety or environmental regulations in place to protect their people or environment.

(Photographs by Kibae Park – i tell a story.com, * I have cited phrases from an article and statistics to support this story.)