More mobile devices than people on the globe

Date: Jan 23 2018Author: Editorial Board of the "Waste Management" Magazine0 Comments— publishing

The latest international statistics show an annual growth of 2-3 % in the number of mobile devices. In 2016 alone, the number of these devices was 7.7 billion. units, thus exceeding the number of the population on the Globe, of 7.2 billion. inhabitants.

Fewer people know that these devices contain a wide variety of valuable materials as well as plastic materials that can be reused. Up to 60 elements in the periodic table are found in electronic devices, many of which can be recovered in the proportion of 60-90 %: gold, silver, copper, platinum and palladium, iron and aluminum being just a few of the most valuable materials.

The United Nations estimates that the value of resources extracted from e-waste as a secondary raw material is estimated to be 55 billion euros annually!

  • what-the-heck-is-waste-1024x577
  • AAEAAQAAAAAAAAAZVAAAAAJDAzZDRkMGMyLTI2ZWUtNDRkMy1iNjEzLTRkMGI2YjlkNDBiMg

RECOMMENDATIONS:

  1. To avoid pollution, soil and water contamination, never throw e-waste in a mixture with organic waste! They must be sorted separately and handed over to authorized operators for proper collection and recycling!
  2. Use electronic devices rationally and say stop to "waste of resources". The chase for the latest model is endless! If possible, try to repair the equipment, and only in the last case to turn it into a waste, or rather a secondary raw material for other production processes!

OPPORTUNITIES!

  1. Creating new jobs for those who want to start a business in the field of waste collection and recovery!
  2. New studies and innovative research in this field!
  3. Successful projects and valuable economic resources for the national economy!
e-waste-header

SOLUTIONS!

  1. It is certainly unrealistic to give up these devices, which are of great use to us, but it is absolutely acceptable and reasonable, for us as consumers, to learn how to properly use this product the moment it becomes "WASTE"!
  2.  New inventions and technologies applied from the design phase of the product, so that it is as easy to disassemble as possible and the components fully recyclable.