Course:SPPH381B/Essay 3/E-Waste - Ye-Von Lee

High-tech trashing of toxic computer wastes also know as e-waste deported from developed countries such as the United States and Canada has immensely contaminated the developing countries that are responsible in the recycling of these materials. The contamination has caused serious hazards to people who are e-waste industry workers . For example, Guiyi a small village in China used to be a rice-growing village however now it has become a toxic dump site due to the importation of e-wastes . E-waste includes computers, printers and any electronics produced from developed countries that are sent to developing countries in mass amounts. The workers of the e-waste industry are responsible in breaking down the e-waste and collecting materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic and gold . The work is laborious and hazardous. The duty of e-waste recycling has caused health, occupational and environmental hazards throughout the village . For example, the burning of toxic wastes have weakening effects on the respiratory system and lungs and the washing of food in the heavily polluted water have lead to the ingestion of toxins that cause diseases and fatalities. In fact, clean drinking water is not present in this village due to the high pollution. So, clean water must be trucked in from other villages for the citizens of Guiyi. The dumping of e-waste has led to occupational and environmental hazards that have caused immeasurable damage to the health of the villagers and workers .

E-Waste Recycling Tasks

Cathode Ray Tube Cracking and Dumping

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) cracking and dumping is one of the most dangerous e-waste hazards because it exposes workers to toxic metal lead. Workers in Guiyi break down CRTs by hand without any protection . Workers are at risk of violent implosion, silicosis and the inhalation of toxic phosphor compounds . Moreover, lead, barium and toxic phosphor compounds leak into the riversides and as a result led to mass pollution .

Burning of Wires and Electronic Components

The task of burning the wires leads to the inhalation of highly toxic dioxins and furan . Moreover, cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other smoke borne pollutants are released into the environment . Not only are the workers affected, but also the citizens living in the area, including children, pregnant women and elders are impacted due to the contamination of surface and groundwater sources and continuous pollution of heavy metals .

Toner Recovery

Additionally, one of the most hazardous duties is recovering the printer toner. Workers use small paintbrushes to sweep out and retrieve the toner left in printers . The toner contains carbon black, which is a human carcinogen . As a result workers inhale the irritant and cancer-causing toner from day to night causing respiratory and other health complications.

Plastic Melting

Plastic parts of the e-waste are melted. Plastic melting likely to create dioxins and furans to be released which results in the concentrated exposure to toxic brominated flame-retardants, dioxins and other harmful hydrocarbon emissions for the workers .

Electric-Printed Circuit Board Processing

The most profitable but dangerous operation is the processing of the electric-printed circuit boards. The circuit boards are placed over a fire until the sander melts and then the chip is taken out . The burning releases toxins including toxic lead, tin fumes, and irritant isocyanates that are directly inhaled by the workers . In addition, lead, tin and dioxins are released into the land, air and water after the burning of the circuit boards.

Acid Stripping

Workers in the acid stripping department heat up formula acquaragia, which is 75% pure hydrochloric acid, and 25% pure nitric acid . Then computer chips are swirled in the solution in order to retrieve the gold particles . The fumes are highly corrosive and can cause workers to inhale high levels of acid and toxic fumes from the chlorine and sulfur dioxide gases . Also, workers are at high risk of acid burns and irritation.

Present Controls

Despite the various hazards, the only control protecting the workers of Guiyi were useless and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) . The two most hazardous operations of the e-waste recycling were the acid stripping and printer toner recovery. However, the only protection against acid strippers had been rubber boots and gloves. However, this form of PPE will not protect the worker from the inhalation of lead, tin fumes and, isocyanates nor burns . Moreover, fans were used as a method of control in order to blow away the black carbon of the toner . Still, workers inhaled the black carbon and were covered in it from head to toe by the end of the day. As a result, the controls used by the workers in Guiyi were not at all sufficient in protecting the workers form the hazards present in their duties.

Potential Controls

Engineering Controls

Most of the recycling tasks are performed by workers themselves without any tools or machinery. As a result, they are fully exposed to the effects of the e-waste pollution due to the close proximity interaction. E-waste cannot be eliminated or substituted in developing countries because for some villages, such as Guiyi, it is their primary source of income. One potential engineering control may be introducing and encouraging the usage of machines and tools in replacement of bare hands and laborious work . For example, using some sort of machine to retrieve the toner in a ventilated environment can immensely decrease carbon black exposure. Furthermore, since the entry route of many of the hazardous chemicals is inhalation, ventilation systems or fans may be an economically feasible engineering control.

Administration Controls

On-site supervisors can encourage corrective actions through supervision and education . Additionally, carrying out the tasks in a well-ventilated settings such as a factory can minimize the pollution that is affecting the environment and health of all people . Education can also help workers understand the dangers they are exposed to and the harmful effects associated with them . Also, educating the locals is a practical control that can perhaps reduce the hazards caused by the e-waste industry. Educating the locals about the environmental and health hazards and the ways to avoid or minimize the dangers can be effective.

Personal Protective Equipment

Although rubber boots, gloves and masks are inadequate controls, they can still minimize acid burns and inhalation .