Purchase, Diane and Abbasi, Golnoush and Bisschop, Lieselot and Chatterjee, Debashish and Ekberg, Christian and Ermolin, Mikhail and Fedotov, Petr and Garelick, Hemda and Isimekhai, Khadijah and Kandile, Nadia G. and Lundström, Mari and Matharu, Avtar and Miller, Bradley W. and Pineda, Antonio and Popoola, Oluseun E. and Retegan, Teodora and Ruedel, Heinz and Serpe, Angela and Sheva, Yehuda and Surati, Kiran R. and Walsh, Fiona and Wilson, Benjamin P. and Wong, Ming Hung (2020) Global occurrence, chemical properties, and ecological impacts of e-wastes (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry, 92 (11). pp. 1733-1767. ISSN 0033-4545

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Abstract

The waste stream of obsolete electronic equipment grows exponentially, creating a worldwide pollution and resource problem. Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) comprises a heterogeneous mix of glass, plastics (including flame retardants and other additives), metals (including rare Earth elements), and metalloids. The e-waste issue is complex and multi-faceted. In examining the different aspects of e-waste, informal recycling in developing countries has been identified as a primary concern, due to widespread illegal shipments; weak environmental, as well as health and safety, regulations; lack of technology; and inadequate waste treatment structure. For example, Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, and China have all been identified as hotspots for the disposal of e-waste. This article presents a critical examination on the chemical nature of e-waste and the resulting environmental impacts on, for example, microbial biodiversity, flora, and fauna in e-waste recycling sites around the world. It highlights the different types of risk assessment approaches required when evaluating the ecological impact of e-waste. Additionally, it presents examples of chemistry playing a role in potential solutions. The information presented here will be informative to relevant stakeholders seeking to devise integrated management strategies to tackle this global environmental concern.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	chemical composition; ecological assessment; environmental impacts; e-waste; recycling;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology Faculty of Science and Engineering > Research Institutes > Human Health Institute
Item ID:	16130
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0502
Depositing User:	Fiona Walsh
Date Deposited:	20 Jun 2022 08:20
Journal or Publication Title:	Pure and Applied Chemistry
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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