The reality of E-waste

Karla Lee and Soleil Dam

The effects of our world’s growing reliance on technology go far beyond the production of devices. As more electronics are being manufactured, more electronic waste (e-waste) comes as a result.

E-waste is supposedly recycled at centers where they are taken apart and reused to make new electronics. However, Aran O’Sullivan, a senior at Carlmont and Co-President of Green Team, says otherwise.

“E-waste is generated from previously used electronics that are no longer being used and are just discarded. This can lead to a lot of issues like toxic chemicals from waste products leaching into local water systems or local environments,” O’Sullivan said.

New devices like LCD TVs are made up of toxic pollutant materials which harm the environment, for example poisonous substances entering the food chain, according to the United States Geological Survey, a U.S. scientific government agency.

“LCD screens have long been popular, particularly plasma screens. They’re great and have a tremendous resolution, and everybody loves them. However, the LED screens are backlit by fluorescent light tubes, which contain white powder known as mercury,” said Russ Caswell, General Manager for e-Recycling of California.

If exposed to mercury, especially when inhaled, it can cause chronic conditions to the body, such as lung or brain damage.

Removing the fluorescent lights is also a problem, as it requires caution.

“When we dismantle a flat-screen TV, we have to remove all those little fluorescent bulbs. Because they’re about the diameter of a piece of spaghetti, we have to carefully remove them, try not to break them, and then ship them to a company in Pennsylvania where they remove the mercury powder,” Caswell said.

Over 500 million metric tons of e-waste are generated each year across the globe.

Another emerging form of hazardous e-waste is iPhones due to the non-removable batteries. This is a problem for e-waste recycling centers because, frequently, electronics are shredded up. However, that is not the case with the newer iPhones because batteries would catch on fire if they were to be shredded, according to Caswell.

“The facility in San Carlos had a big fire several years ago, and it’s somewhat common. We have to train our people all the time about handling batteries. Once you remove them, you have to separate them by type because ‘dead’ batteries are not entirely dead,” Caswell said. “They still have some voltage left. If you throw hundreds of those into a bucket, and they’re all laying against each other, they’ll start shorting, getting hot, and starting a fire.”

The increased amount of recycled iPhones is a part of the millions of pounds of e-waste that e-Recycling of California receives every month. E-waste can range from as large as a TV to as small as a mouse.

“At Hayward’s e-waste recycling center, we will process probably between 300,000 to 400,000 pounds a month of flat screens, so imagine 10,000 televisions being dropped off. Other miscellaneous things like printers, keyboards, mice, copiers, and all that other materials are about another 400,000 pounds,” Caswell said. “In my location, we do over a million pounds a month. In Southern California, between the two locations down there, it could be close to double that amount.” According to Taylor Rubly, a sophomore at Berkeley majoring in society and environment and leader of Berkeley’s e-waste team, the real issue behind the e-waste problem is consumerism.

“The fact that devices are designed not to last long is really evident. In fact, the people designing these devices are feeding off consumers and promoting them in a way that’s not sustainable, and by not disclaiming the fact that you need to be responsible with e-waste. It’s just adding to the issue,” Rubly said.

Rubly also emphasizes the importance of recycling e-waste correctly.

“If you don’t have the time to research nearby facilities, wait until you have a moment or free time, and then make sure you use that opportunity to get rid of your e-waste. There’s no rush. It’s better to wait and properly dispose of it instead of just throwing it away,” Rubly said.

A way to reduce the problem is finding the right place to get rid of e-waste. Many, like Caswell, suggest researching on the internet for a local e-waste recycling center or collection event as the best option.

“San Carlos transfer station accepts material. We also do events in Belmont, usually at city hall. We hold events at some of the transit stations, so there are collection events a couple of times a year,” Caswell said.

Photos and Art by Karla Lee and Sophia Mattioli