subject: Waste Management-The Global Issue [print this page] Waste management or appropriate waste disposal is not a country or continent specific problem, now it has emerged as a global concerning issue posing as a threat to global health and environment.
Since the rapid development of information technology, electronic waste has extensively increased but the excess waste had to go to either landfill or incinerators. Insensitive disposal off the e-waste has several dangerous consequences on environment. It is responsible for producing greenhouse gas, making weather warmer and causing various skin and respiratory diseases. Landfills in Latin America, Asia, and Africa generate approximately 40 % of methane emissions annually that is equal to about 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Asian countries such as China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines do not have well-planned management system for proper e-waste disposal. E-waste in landfill emits cancerous carcinogen in the air and come to us through disease carrier vermin, flies and pests.
Consequences might not be felt immediately but future generation will have to pay the price. A growing number of countries have raised voices against the situation and are demanding for legal amendments for proper e-waste management.
According to the U.S, 60% countries worldwide have shown their concern. Countries like Canada and the US are inspiring people to reduce, reuse and recycle. Several state governments are implementing rules and regulations for effective e-waste management.
According to the experts' estimation, industrialized countries generate more waste than developing or industrialising countries. In the United States, each American produces .75 tons of trash every year on an average, European countries accumulate almost half a ton of trash every year and in Asia, a person produces mere .2 tons of trash at an average annually. World Bank reveals that every year China contributes about190 million tons of waste, which is not appropriately disposed. Whether it is incineration or through landfill, only a fraction, less than 50%, of total solid e-waste is discarded properly.
Irrespective of countries or boundaries, nations have come together to solve this ever growing environmental issue. European countries have already developed over 60 percent of environmental technologies to help the world. Research agencies are also playing their part by awakening people about the environmental damages caused by them and helping them deal with air, water contamination.
