Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Instead of mining the earth, just mine our e-waste, researchers call

Recycling our electronics should be a higher priority.

Fermin Koop by Fermin Koop
May 10, 2022
in Environment, Environmental Issues, News, Science

The proliferation of digital devices has already become a big problem for the planet, but it’s still not receiving the attention it should. Once they come to the end of their useful lives, electronics just get discarded. The recycling rate is still poor, despite the fact they contain valuable minerals that could be used once more and have economic value. Now, scientists are calling to ramp up the recycling of e-waste, describing the expansion of mining as unsustainable.

Image credit: Pixabay.

A circular economy

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), a UK science organization, says there has to be a global effort to mine e-waste instead of continuing mining the Earth. The RSC has started a global campaign to highlight the unsustainability of continuing to mine all the precious elements used in consumer technology instead of further recycling them.

“Developing a circular economy where minerals used in tech devices are salvaged and repurposed could help us to bypass supply chain issues in the future while also helping to reduce environmental impacts,” Tom Welton, head of RSC, said in a statement. “It’s essential that governments and businesses do more to develop a circular economy.”

New research done by the RSC revealed a growing demand from consumers for more sustainable technology. The organization carried out a global survey into people’s attitudes towards technology, sustainability, and precious minerals, asking participants about their purchasing and recycling habits and their attitudes towards sustainability.

The survey found that people are eager to opt for more sustainable technology options, but also seem frustrated due to the lack of accurate information about the topic, and often feel confused. Over 60% of consumers would switch to rivals of their preferred tech brands if goods were done sustainably and 70% said it was difficult and expensive to repair their electronics.

At the same time, three-quarters of those surveyed worldwide believe governments should be taking urgent action to tackle the e-waste crisis before the situation gets worse. Over half said they worry about the environmental effect of the unused tech devices they have at home but said not to know what to do with them.

“Not only do we need governments to overhaul recycling infrastructure and tech businesses to invest in more sustainable manufacturing practices, but we also need greater public and private investment in research to enable chemical to progress methods of separating critical raw materials from electronic waste for recycling purposes,” Welton said.

The challenges of e-waste

A record 53.6 million metric tons of electronic waste were generated worldwide in 2019, up 21% in just five years, according to a UN report. E-waste is also predicted to reach 74 million metric tons by 2030, almost doubling its actual figures in 15 years. This makes e-waste the fastest-growing domestic waste stream on a global scale, the UN said.

The growing figures are triggered by the high consumption of electronic equipment, short life cycles, and limited options for repair. Only 17% of 2019’s e-waste was collected and recycled, the UN found. This means that high-value materials valued at US$57 billion were mostly dumped or burned rather than collected for treatment and reuse. So recycling electronics is not only an environmental choice but one that could yield economic benefits.

Electronics contain dozens of different elements, many of which are technically recoverable, though there are economic limits set by the market. E-waste has precious metals including gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium. It also has valuable bulky materials such as iron and aluminum, along with plastics that can be recycled.

Governments have developed national e-waste policies and legislation to deal with the growth of end-of-life electrical and electronic products. Such policies layout plans and indicate what can be achieved by a society, institution, or company. However, even in countries where legally binding policies are implemented, enforcement is still a big challenge.

“In the nearer term, we urge everyone to be more conscious about how they use and reuse technology. Before you dispose or replace it, ask yourself if it really needs replacing. Could it be repaired or updated? If it can’t be sold or donated, could it be recycled?” Welton said.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. Want to waste money? Keep investing in coal power instead of renewables
  2. Mining cryptocurrencies consumes as much energy as mining precious metals
  3. Do elephants call “human” ? African elephants make a specific alarm call in response to the danger of humans
  4. There may be a quadrillion tons of diamond in the Earth’s depths — but we’ll never mine it
  5. Researchers call for ban on a widely-used pesticide: it impairs brain development
Tags: e waste

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW