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03:09
In September this year, Apple launched its flagship iPhone 14. Since then, loyal fans continue to line up in large numbers to buy the new phone.
Similar queues are seen every year to buy other electronics such as televisions and laptops during ‘Black Friday’ when goods are sold at low prices.
But what happens to all the old equipment that is usually exported, in the developed world?
They often end up in open dumps in Africa where they are often burned to extract precious metals while releasing toxins into the environment.
“In some parts of Nigeria, many people are now picking up garbage – garbage or recycling, with bare fingers, bare hands… without any kind of protective equipment, without knowledge of how toxic things are. Totally exposed to dangers,” says African environmental expert Nnimmo Bassey. .
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Due to the current economic recession, many people in Nigeria have lost their regular jobs and are forced to work in the recycling sector.
“Waste pickers and processors are completely vulnerable, exposed to all kinds of health issues,” Bassey told CGTN.
They are exposed to smoke, toxic substances. There is no way to control it.”
The latest UN figures show that of a total of 53.6 million tonnes (Mt) of electronic waste (e-waste) generated worldwide in 2019, only 17 percent was treated in a sustainable manner.
In context, the waste of 2020 weighed the equivalent of 350 cruise ships placed end to end to form a line 125km long.
At this rate, waste is expected to increase to 74.7 Mt in 2030 and reach 110 Mt in 2050.
Millions of tonnes of e-waste are generated every year, most of which ends up in landfills in Nigeria and other developing countries. Screengrab/CGTN
Millions of tonnes of e-waste are generated every year, most of which ends up in landfills in Nigeria and other developing countries. Screengrab/CGTN
In Europe, Norwegians are the biggest contributors when it comes to e-waste, producing 57kg of e-waste per household per year, followed by the UK at 55kg per household.
Precious metals such as copper, gold and cobalt are in high demand for laptops, smartphones and batteries for electric cars. However, their natural resources are rapidly depleting.
The double whammy of the Covid pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict also pushed their prices higher.
Veolia, one of the world’s largest waste management companies, hopes to reduce the huge pile of electronic waste that Europe used to send to developing countries.
Its television recycling unit in Bridgnorth, England, recycles around 300,000 flat screen TVs each year.
“We see an increase in e-waste. 4-5 percent of the global increase every year,” said Tim Duret, Director of Organics and Technology at Veolia.
Veolia’s TV recycling plant in Bridgnorth, England. Darshan Dalal CGTN
Veolia’s TV recycling plant in Bridgnorth, England. Darshan Dalal CGTN
The Bridgnorth unit has seen some peaks in the past few years with large numbers of vintage televisions, Duret told CGTN.
“We see a peak, especially during sporting events and Black Fridays where people like to change their TVs – it’s general consumer behavior.”
New technologies and pressure on high product prices – help reduce the amount of e-waste exported from Europe and Veolia says that almost two-thirds of old equipment will soon be able to be recycled sustainably in the supply chain.
Marketing giants Apple and Samsung have also announced they will increase the use of recycled materials in all their products as part of a push towards a circular economy.
But critics say these measures are not enough.
“Those companies jump to the idea of a circular economy without really understanding it,” said Piotr Barczak, Waste Policy Officer at the European Environmental Bureau in Belgium.
“Manufacturers make certain measures that improve reusability or use of recycled content. However, this cannot be compared to the standard of what is placed on the market.”
With the growing world population, and ever-changing consumer habits, recyclers around the world are now facing the daunting challenge of expanding their facilities to treat the mountains of electronic waste that are rising every year.
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