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June Whitlock

Henry Miller

Marketing

July 5, 2016

Hazardous Materials Found in E-Waste

Most people in the United States are now aware that disposing of electronic equipment by

traditional methodssuch as dumping in landfillsis harmful to the environment. It is intuitive to

people that placing large items that will never completely break down in landfills is a wasteful use of

land, but the reasons for special treatment of electronic waste go beyond that. Electronics contain

hazardous materials that can harm the planet if placed untreated in landfills. Also, many electronic

devices contain valuable materials that can be reused, thereby conserving natural resources.

One material that is hazardous is lead. Televisions and old CRT computer monitors contain

varying amounts of lead. Due to its characteristics and ease of use, lead1 has been used since ancient

times to make pottery, build ships, act as weights, and construct pipes. Lead has also been used in

gasoline, batteries, paint, crystal, and insecticides. Lead, however, is also poisonous. As awareness of its

side effects grew and the public began expressing concerns about its widespread use, in the 1970s the

U.S. government began restricting its use. However, lead continues to be a leading environmental health

risk for children in the U.S.

Toxic effects of lead on children are well documented. Research in the last few decades shows

quite convincingly that there is a relationship between the amount of lead a child ingests and problems

in thinking and learning (Robinson 1375-1377). Furthermore, this sort of poisoning appears to be caused

1
In 2009 the U.S. government required that all television signals be transmitted in digital format

resulting in many discarded TV sets.

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by what had been considered safe levels of lead exposure. Even very low levels of exposure to lead

may cause significant damage to learning ability.

Cadmium is another toxic product found in electronic equipment, especially in the nickel and

cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries used in many portable electronic devices.2 In addition to causing lung and

liver damage, cadmium is a human carcinogen. For example, occupational and environmental risk

factors for renal cancer include exposure to cadmium (American Cancer Society 291).

Mercury is found in fluorescent lamps and computer circuit boards as well as many scientific

instruments. Occupational exposure to mercury can result in a number of toxic effects on humans, such

as personality disorders, insomnia, fatigue, tremors, and muscle spasms.

Using modern electronic waste processing methods, most electronic waste can be rendered

harmless or reused.

Businesses must find a way to insure that unwanted electronics are disposed of in a way that

will minimize toxins in the environment, and need to be sure to work with waste processing facilities

that follow all applicable laws and regulations in order to maximize worker safety and minimize release

of toxins.

2
Newer lithium batteries are not considered hazardous waste if they are fully discharged prior to disposal.
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Works Cited

American Cancer Society. Cancer Source Book for Nurses, Eighth Edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones and

Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2004. Print.

Robinson, Eliot. "EPA May Allow More Lead in Gasoline." Science (1982): 1375-1377. Print.