E-waste is poisoning us, says scientist

Environmental scientist Professor Ming Hung Wong, of Hong Kong Baptist University, has called for a global effort to save the coming generation of children from being poisoned by toxic residues from the world’s ever-growing garbage pile of old mobile phones, computers and electronic devices.

Professor Wong noted that electronic waste (e-waste) “is the world’s fastest growing waste stream, rising by 3-5% every year due to the decreased life span of the average computer from six years to two”. Total e-waste production has been estimated as high as 50 million tonnes a year - a component of the world’s estimated annual output of 400 million tonnes of hazardous waste, only a small fraction of which is safely disposed.

For example, “In countries such as Australia, the disposal of e-waste in landfills generates a potent leachate, which has high concentrations of flame-retardant chemicals and heavy metals,” said Professor Wong. “These can migrate through soils and groundwater and eventually reach people via tap water and the food chain.”

Meanwhile, he said, e-waste recycling in several Asian and African countries is occurring under primitive conditions which lead to extensive pollution of air, water, food and people. Gradually these toxins make their way around the world in food and water and via trade, posing a risk to everyone.

“The toxic chemicals generated through open burning of e-waste include PCDD, PBDEs, PAHs, PCBs and heavy metals (especially lead) have given rise to serious environmental contamination,” he said.

“Some of these toxic chemicals are known to build up in fish especially, which may then be traded locally and around the world. In general, any food items originating in e-waste processing areas are highly contaminated, leading to sharp increases in cancers and heart disease and other ailments in people who consume them.”

Furthermore, Professor Wong says that science has clearly demonstrated the risk of these toxic chemicals being passed on to babies - either while still in the womb or via their mother’s milk.

E-waste contaminated sites are very hard to clean up “due to the complex chemical mixtures they contain”, said Professor Wong. He said developing counties may soon no longer accept e-waste from developed countries and every nation will have to take care of its own - thus, there is a need for better international collaboration so all countries can manage e-waste more efficiently.

Professor Wong this morning delivered a keynote paper on e-waste disposal at CleanUp 2013, the scientific and contamination conference being held in Melbourne this week. For more information on the event, visit www.cleanupconference.com.