Electronic Waste Management Strategies and Recommendations

This report delves into the critical issue of electronic waste management, highlighting its rapid growth and encompassing all discarded electronic products. It identifies the harmful components within e-waste like lead and cadmium that pose significant risks to human health and the environment. The report proposes solutions such as electronic recycling, waste reduction, and product reuse to mitigate these risks. Focusing on Sydney, Australia, the report emphasizes the need for partnerships, public awareness campaigns, and the promotion of recycling to effectively manage e-waste. It recommends long-term waste management policies, pragmatic approaches, a focus on reduction over disposal, and the strategic use of social media to implement effective e-waste management plans. The report concludes by underscoring the importance of a sustainable approach to e-waste management, and the effective reuse of electronic products.

Name of the Student
Name of the University
Electronic Waste Management

What are Electronic Wastes?
Electronic waste happens to be one of the largest
and fastest growing segments in the Australian
mainstream.
Electronic waste encompasses all types of
unused, broken, obsolete and outdated electronic
products, components, devices and materials.
Additionally, electronic waste also refers to
products that can be recycled, that is, the
electronic goods that can be recycled, salvaged,
resold or reused whenever necessary (Agamuthu
et al., 2015).

The Problem of E-Waste
Reduce, recycle and reuse are some of the
terms that are very commonly associated
with items such as glass, plastic and paper.
It is well accepted by all and sundry that
these are items that need to be recycled
and the global impact of allowing such
items to remain lying around and get
absorbed into the environment can prove
to be quite dangerous (Brunner et al.,
2016).

The Problem of E-Waste
Electronic scrap materials like CPU’s are
known to contain very harmful components
such as lead, beryllium, cadmium, and
brominated flame retardants. Some
additional components like arsenic and
mercury may also be present. The
elements that are present in the CPU’s are
those that are capable of generating a very
severe and dangerous impact on human
beings if they are allowed to come into
contact with such components through
exposure

The Problem of E-Waste
If electronic waste products like the CPU’s
are not handled in the manner desired,
then these can end up causing some
severe neurological damage and organ
damage, not only for the workers who
handle such items directly, but also to the
communities of people who are allowed to
come into contact with these waste
products through exposure.

Solutions for Controlling E-Waste
Electronic Recycling - Electronic recycling
refers to reusing or distributing for the
purpose of re-use, all electronic products
that have outlived their utility value, and
which no longer serve any purpose.
Electronic recycling is something that is
very useful indeed, as it helps in saving
resources by a considerable extent. In
order to manufacture electronic products
that would ultimately become electronic
waste, a number of resources like paper,
glass and metal are required.

Electronic Waste Reduction - Another
important solution that can be implemented in
order to ensure the effective management of
electronic waste is reduction. By reducing their
use of electronic products, people can
simultaneously contribute towards a reduction
in environmental waste and thus preserve their
surrounding environment in the best possible
way. The occurrence of environmental waste is
not something that would be possible if people
refrained from the use of electronic products
altogether.

Re-using Electronic Products - Re-use is also a very
effective solution that can be put into place
immediately in order to control the spread of
electronic wastes. When people consider re-using
their computers and mobile phones for as long as
it is possible to do so, instead of getting a brand
new phone or computer, then too will the
existence of electronic wastes be minimized.
Instead of discarding a mobile phone within just
three to four months of buying it, a person can
consider using it for at least two to three years
before it is absolutely imperative to get a new
phone.

Implementing Electronic Waste
Management in Sydney
In order to implement a proper electronic
waste management plan in Sydney,
Australia, a city where environmental
pollution caused by electronic wastes is
already quite high, then the first step that
needs to be considered is for key actors to
enter into partnerships with governmental
organizations or agencies that are
specifically committed to electronic waste
reduction.

To properly implement a plan for electronic waste
reduction in the city of Sydney, NGO’s and IGO’s
also need to carry out public awareness campaigns
that make people conscious of the dangers that are
associated with the use of electronic products
The adequate implementation of an electronic waste
management plan in Sydney will require people to
understand the value of using recycled products.
The establishing of recycling companies in Sydney
that offer to get electronic wastes recycled at an
affordable rate for customers can go a long way in
helping people to understanding the usefulness of
this.

Recommendations for Effective E-
Waste Management in Sydney
If electronic waste management is to be
executed properly in the city of Sydney
then the waste management policies that
are drawn up should be those that have a
long term vision than a short term one.
The electronic waste management plan
should be pragmatic in its approach. Care
should be taken not to impose the concept
of electronic waste management on people
who are using electronic products in large
numbers.

The electronic waste management plans and
techniques need to focus more on reduction
rather than disposal.
Electronic wastes can be disposed of, using a
number of techniques like land filling,
submerging wastes in water etc, but all of this
will result in the environment becoming heavily
polluted with electronic wastes.
A good deal of focus or emphasis needs to be
laid on the use of social media tools for
implementing an electronic waste reduction or
management plan.

References
Agamuthu, P., Kasapo, P., & Nordin, N. A. M. (2015). E-waste flow among
selected institutions of higher learning using material flow analysis
model. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 105, 177-185.
Brunner, P. H., & Rechberger, H. (2016). Handbook of material flow analysis: For
environmental, resource, and waste engineers. CRC press.
Chaudhary, K., Mathiyazhagan, K., & Vrat, P. (2017). Analysis of barriers
hindering the implementation of reverse supply chain of electronic waste in
India. International Journal of Advanced Operations Management, 9(3), 143-
168.
Edwards, J., Othman, M., Crossin, E., & Burn, S. (2017). Anaerobic co-digestion
of municipal food waste and sewage sludge: A comparative life cycle
assessment in the context of a waste service provision. Bioresource
technology, 223, 237-249.
Evans, W. A., Davies, P. J., & McRae, C. (2016). The occurrence of methyl, ethyl,
propyl, and butyl parabens in the urban rivers and stormwaters of Sydney,
Australia. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 2(4), 733-742.
Golev, A., Schmeda-Lopez, D. R., Smart, S. K., Corder, G. D., & McFarland, E. W.
(2016). Where next on e-waste in Australia?. Waste management, 58, 348-358

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