Open AccessAchieving sustainability in solving the electronic waste (e-waste) problem
Author(s) -
Sunil Herat
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environment conservation journal/environment conservation journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2278-5124
pISSN - 0972-3099
DOI - 10.36953/ecj.2020.21302
Subject(s) - obsolescence , electronic waste , sustainability , business , extended producer responsibility , waste management , construction waste , electronic equipment , waste stream , municipal solid waste , cleaner production , design for the environment , environmental economics , natural resource economics , environmental planning , engineering , environmental science , economics , product (mathematics) , marketing , product design , ecology , geometry , electrical engineering , mathematics , biology
Waste from used electrical and electronic equipment, commonly known as e-waste, is growing at a higher rate than the regular municipal waste streams. Global generation of e-waste in 2019 was 53.6 million tonnes. Rising demand for high technology products and their early obsolescence coupled with lack of proper end-of-life management options have all led to unsustainable management of e-waste in many countries. Recycling, design for environment, extended producer responsibility and public-private partnerships (PPPs) are some of the practices attempted by many countries to achieve sustainability in solving the e-waste problem. This paper provides an overview of the practices mentioned above.