E-waste management and the impact on the environment and society

Electronic waste, also referred to as e-waste, is one of the most difficult and rapidly implemented environmental problems of our time. E-waste consists of old discarded electronic devices such as computers, laptops, televisions, generators, DVDs, cell phones, freezers and other items. These are usually discarded by their deceased owners due to their short lifespan. It sometimes contains a number of hazardous ingredients that have a negative effect on the environment and, in some cases, on human health. Because it contains sealed chemical elements, e-waste appears to be a suspicious problem for human safety.

Many groups and governments from different countries have different ways of tackling the problem. Therefore, this review presents an enumeration of various sources of e-waste, environmental and health hazards, the composition and characterization of these hazards, and e-waste scenarios in the world. It is important for the future to use sustainable handling and processing techniques and recycling of e-waste. This document outlines the main various problems of e-waste and also makes recommendations for each solution.