E-waste : Why we need to take it seriously | Blog by Samriddha,11, Kolkata
Electronic waste is a huge problem, writes 11-year-old Samriddha from Kolkata.
E-waste : Why we need to take it seriously
Ah! Again online class! Don’t know when we’ll get rid of devices! We are using it for shopping, watching, playing…now how much more? And when it’s not working, nothing works for us!
But wait…when a device doesn’t work, where does it go? Let’s find it out!
Electronic devices have conquered almost half of our lives. There’s not a single task that can be done without them, whether it’s exercising or cooking. But the question that triggers is where do all of these devices end up after they’re worn out. Some people might say, “It’s still lying in my home as a dump.” Some boast, “I’ve done a great job by selling them to the scrap dealer.” I’ve even heard a few people carelessly saying, ‘Well, I don’t care at all, I’ve used it and thrown it in my nearby pond.” When you give these to the scrap dealer, do you know what happens to them?
You might or might not have heard the term ‘Acid Bath’. That’s what happens to your old devices. These waste collectors take up things essential for them like the ones having copper, iron, steel etc. Through this acid bath they obtain the metals and the rest turn into junk of e-waste. If e-waste generated is 100%, hardly 10-20% of that gets recycled. And what about others? They’re found lying around the landfills, water bodies or maybe in the house too. They’re actually quite hazardous and can lead to severe health issues if stored improperly. In 2020, almost 3.84 metric tonnes of e-waste was generated. That’s an extremely bad sign for the future of India. If this is the rate of rising e-waste generation, our nation in later years might be full of pollution.
But here is what we can do.
Before purchasing any electronic devices, check the life span and environment friendly label put on it. Always try to limit the number of electronics you have and maintain them properly so they last long. And last but not the least, be aware of e-waste and try to recycle.
Together, we can limit e-waste!
