Global occurrence, chemical properties, and ecological impacts of e-wastes (IUPAC Technical Report)
Journal article, 2020
The waste stream of obsolete electronic equipment grows exponentially, creating a worldwide pollution and resource problem. Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) comprises a heterogeneous mix of glass, plastics (including flame retardants and other additives), metals (including rare Earth elements), and metalloids. The e-waste issue is complex and multi-faceted. In examining the different aspects of e-waste, informal recycling in developing countries has been identified as a primary concern, due to widespread illegal shipments; weak environmental, as well as health and safety, regulations; lack of technology; and inadequate waste treatment structure. For example, Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, and China have all been identified as hotspots for the disposal of e-waste. This article presents a critical examination on the chemical nature of e-waste and the resulting environmental impacts on, for example, microbial biodiversity, flora, and fauna in e-waste recycling sites around the world. It highlights the different types of risk assessment approaches required when evaluating the ecological impact of e-waste. Additionally, it presents examples of chemistry playing a role in potential solutions. The information presented here will be informative to relevant stakeholders seeking to devise integrated management strategies to tackle this global environmental concern.
environmental impacts
e-waste
chemical composition
recycling
ecological assessment
Author
Diane Purchase
Middlesex University
Golnoush Abbasi
Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU)
Lieselot Bisschop
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Debashish Chatterjee
University of Kalyani
Christian Ekberg
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material
Mikhail Ermolin
National University of Science & Technology (MISIS)
Petr Fedotov
Russian Academy of Sciences
Hemda Garelick
Middlesex University
Khadijah Isimekhai
Ateda Ventures Limited
Nadia G. Kandile
Ain Shams University
Mari Lundström
Aalto University
Avtar Matharu
University of York
Bradley W. Miller
Antonio Pineda
Universidad de Córdoba
Oluseun E. Popoola
Yaba College of Technology
Teodora Retegan Vollmer
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material
Heinz Ruedel
Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
Angela Serpe
University of Cagliari
Yehuda Sheva
Tahal Consulting Engineers Ltd.
Kiran R. Surati
Sardar Patel University
Fiona Walsh
Maynooth University
Benjamin P. Wilson
Aalto University
Ming Hung Wong
Southern University of Science and Technology
The Education University of Hong Kong
Pure and Applied Chemistry
0033-4545 (ISSN) 13653075 (eISSN)
Vol. 92 11 1733-1767Subject Categories
Other Environmental Engineering
Environmental Management
Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.1515/pac-2019-0502