Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia

Health Risk High from Toxic Electronic Waste

by Rajshri on Feb 22 2010 8:25 PM

A United Nations report released on Monday says that environmental and health hazards from electronic waste are high in developing countries. The report also said this would pose a high risk unless recycling methods were adopted.

“Managing this waste has become not just important, it has become absolutely urgent,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said at a news conference. The report said that some 40 million tons of electronic waste called as e-waste was produced worldwide on an annual basis.

Some of the hazardous chemicals in e-waste include lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium and polybrominated biphenyls, which have been linked to brain and nervous system issues. The report has predicted that e-waste may jump by 500 percent in India in the coming years.

“India, Brazil, Mexico and others may also face rising environmental damage and health problems if e-waste recycling is left to the vagaries of the informal sector,” Steiner said.

The report called for framing proper national recycling policies to handle e-waste.


Source-Medindia
RAS


Advertisement