WEEE management and disposal discussed in eco-consciousness and sustainability forum
In one of the city-sponsored eco-consciousness and sustainability lecture series in Saint Louis University (SLU), the responsibility for the proper disposal of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) was properly discussed.
Accordingly, WEEE are large household appliances, information technology, telecommunications and consumer equipment.
One of the lecturers, National Coordinator for Eco-waste coalition Aileen Lucero shared simple steps to prevent or reduce electronic waste: less consumerism; basic considerations before buying new gadgets; practice refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose or re-evaluate; organize electronics and donate them when new ones are available; learn to repair broken electronics and rent electronic equipment when used only for a specific time.
Lucero also said that educating others in the disposal of WEEE counts, and from “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis’ encyclical with a subtitle, “on call for our common home,” are the instructions: “re-use, recycle and stay away from the throw-away culture.”
Eco-waste coalition is a non-profit body working for environmental health, zero waste and toxic free society, in coordination with the government, industry, civil society, health care sector, consumer movement and other stakeholders.
In 2016, there were 44.7 million metric tons of WEEE, and in 2021, 52.2 million metric tons were generated globally, documented for collection and recycling, Lucero said. Of the numbers given, ten to forty percent (10 to 40%) of WEEEs are treated properly according to approved standards.
Factors contributing to E-waste generation include: global information sharing on the rise; rapid industrialization and urbanization in developing nations; cheaper digital products and services, cheaper multiple device ownership to build a digital ecosystem and data centers, conversion of analog to digital system, and rise of cloud computing.
Planned obsolescence or the process of becoming obsolete, are a major concern as Filipinos are active in electronic equipment, leaving behind “old” digital devices.
Lucero explained that from WEEE, there are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) synthetic organic chemicals that stay in the environment and have adverse effects on human health and environment. These could be cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, damage to the nervous system, reproductive disorders, disruption of the immune system, Lucero further said.
Hazardous chemicals in WEEE are Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, PBDE lead and PBDE e-waste, which have adverse effects on health. When WEEE is improperly handled, toxins such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers cause air and water pollution. Glass dust, Lead, Mercury, Dioxins, Cadmium, from plastic casings, heavy metals and wires also release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Lucero thus persuaded the students to prepare their e-wastes for submission to the first north Luzon e-waste facility which is located in Bakakeng Central, Baguio City. – JGF
