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 Home Our WorkElectronics IndustryLifecycle of Electronics
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ELECTRONICS LIFECYCLE
A Wake of Unintended Collateral Damage from Cradle to Coffin
When we buy new electronics, we focus on what the newest technology offers us and try not to think about what it took to make that product. But if we scratch beneath the surface, we find that there are serious environmental and human health impacts. There are few other products for which the environmental impacts of mining, industrial refining, production, use and disposal is so extensive. Electronics are a complicated assembly of more than 1,000 materials, many of which are highly toxic, such as chlorinated and brominated substances, toxic gases, toxic metals, photo-active and biologically active materials, acids, plastics, and plastic additives. These have had devastating impacts on electronics manufacturing and recycling workers, communities surrounding industrial facilities and areas around the world that have become the dumping ground for toxic e-waste.
Stage 1: Electronics Require Vast Amounts of Mined Natural Resources
The long list of materials needed to create an electronic product includes vast amounts of energy, water and metals such as silicon, aluminum, copper, lead and gold. When an area is mined, 79 tons of potentially dangerous waste is created for every ounce of gold taken out of the ground. The exposure from toxic bi-products of mining can cause a range of long-term disabilities, the most significant of which are respiratory problems such as silicosis, tuberculosis, bronchitis and lung cancer. Mining also consumes up to 10% of the world’s energy, but only employs less than .1% of the global workforce. The mining industry has had a profound impact on the communities in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Dirty Metals, a 2004 Earthworks report stated that 50% of all newly mined gold that year was taken from native lands. To learn more about the mining industry and its effects on communities go to: No Dirty Gold Campaign or Indigenous Environmental Network
Stage 2: Toxic Processing of Raw Materials into Plastics & Other Components
After the mining, raw ore is turned into the plastics, wires, glass and all other parts of a computer. Many of these processes are dangerous to workers and surrounding communities. For example, the process of refining petroleum into plastics has exposed many to hormone disrupting chemicals through air pollution or leaks into their groundwater. Unfortunately, the workers in this industry often live near the facilities, creating greater chance of suffering life threatening illnesses due to the double toxic exposure of home and the workplace. Learn more about the health impacts of chemicals in electronics: Click Here.
Stage 3: Electronics Manufacturing Kills Workers, Pollutes Air and Water
After the raw materials are processed, they are sent to factories where they are made into electronics products. Though seemingly “clean,” high-tech manufacturing is actually incredibly dangerous. Thousands of gallons of toxic solvents are used to clean microscopic dirt and dust off of chips. This is just one of an array of processes that have lead to high rates of cancer, reproductive problems and illnesses in high-tech workers and communities surrounding manufacturing facilities. Learn more about the dirty secrets of electronics manufacturing: Click Here.
Stage 4: Consumer Use - Companies Make it Difficult to Repair or Upgrade
Imagine if you had to buy a new car because the clutch wore out and you couldn’t get replacement parts after three years. This seems ridiculous, but we accept this when it comes to electronics. Electronics companies make it difficult and expensive to repair or upgrade, forcing us to buy the latest product. This is called “Planned Obsolescence.” This short life span of creates greater pressure for raw materials, manufacturing, and exponentially grows the e-waste crisis.
STAGE 5: “Recycled E-Waste” & the Toxic Truth About Where it Goes
We all want to recycle responsibly. However, consumers, institutions and businesses who take their e-waste to a recycling center might be surprised to discover that up to 80% is exported to U.S. prisons or developing countries where toxic components are either openly burned, soaked in acid baths and dumped into rivers, or piled into mountains of e-waste for scrap recovery. Electronics are not designed to be easily taken apart. So often impoverished workers, including children and prisoners, smash leaded glass tubes, breathe lead solder fumes and melt plastics with toxic flame retardants to get at valuable metals without proper protection. Learn more about how electronics are recycled: Click Here.
Final Stage: Electronics Are Too Toxic for the Dump!
There are currently about 500 million obsolete computers in the U.S. That’s not counting cell phones, printers, TVs, stereos or MP3 players. A single computer monitor can contain up to 4-8 lbs of lead, and that's not all! Electronic products contain mercury, cadmium and many other harmful metals and chemicals. These chemicals can make their way out of even the most state of the art landfills and into our air and water. Most of our e-waste ends up being exported to developing countries where communities struggle to protect themselves from toxic exposure. Learn more about the growing e-waste crisis: Click Here.
The Solution: Green Designs That Are Less Toxic & Easier to Recycle
The ultimate solution to stem the collateral damage throughout the electronics lifecycle is to design cleaner products that are less toxic, easily recycled and allow for repairs and upgrades. The industry that found a way to put thousands of documents, photos and videos onto a tiny chip has the opportunity to dazzle consumers once again by developing clean design technology. Electronics companies say that customer demand is the single most compelling driver for them to make changes in their products. Click here to demand green electronics and flex your consumer muscle!
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