Health and Ecosystem Impacts of E-waste

E-waste processed in unsafe ways can harm people, wildlife and natural surroundings. Unsafe processing includes burning plastic-covered cables in the open to expose the copper inside, smashing devices apart by hand, and using strong acids to strip metals from circuit boards.

Harms to workers and communities

Workers at unsafe processing sites can breathe in toxic fumes given off by burning plastics and by metals such as lead, which can damage the lungs and nervous system. Acid used to recover metals can burn skin and eyes, especially when there is no protective clothing. Whole communities can be affected too: harmful substances may seep into soil and drinking water or contaminate food grown nearby, and children playing on or near a dump are exposed to the same hazards.

Harms to ecosystems and wildlife

When residues are left on the ground or washed into streams, ecosystems can be damaged. Toxins can kill plants, insects and fish, and can build up in the bodies of animals that eat contaminated food. Wildlife may also mistake small plastic and metal pieces for food, or become tangled in cables and broken casings.

Why exporting e-waste increases the risk

E-waste is often transported to other countries for processing, where safety and environmental standards may be lower. Sending waste to a site with weaker regulation can be cheaper, but workers may have little protective equipment and waste may be dumped or burned instead of being contained safely. For instance, a school might pay a waste contractor to take away its old monitors, only for them to be sold on to a yard where workers smash them open with hammers and rinse the shredded parts in a nearby stream.