Irregular disposal of electronic waste
Discipline of Solid Waste Treatment
Authors: Lais Shiki and Carlos Alberto
From mobile phone to radio.
From landline phone to computer.
From refrigerator to printer.
All these and other electronics
are used for a period
or until the end of their lifespan
after this being disposed in the environment.
In Brazil, around 1.4 million tons
are discarded per year
of these materials.
And according to the UN
Brazil is the developing country
that discards more outdated
equipment in nature.
In São José dos Campos,
according to Municipal Waste Management company (URBAM),
they collected properly in 2014
103.4 tons
of electronic waste from houses.
In the same year, the city hall
mapped 161 areas
used for illegal waste disposal,
among them, the electronics.
In a search carried out with municipal citizens,
when asked what they do when
the electronic device breaks into their homes,
42.9% answered that they discarded.
Of these, when asked about
where they discarded it
77.8% discarded into
Voluntary Delivery Points (PEV's).
But what happens when they arrive to PEV's?
If you have
electronic waste,
these should be forwarded
to Voluntary Delivery Points.
There, they will be forwarded
to places such as cooperatives
who will assess its components.
Following the assessment,
the elements that still have
usage potential will be reused,
and the components that have market value
will be sold
and the rest will go to
adequate landfilling.
However, the information obtained in the survey
carried out with residents
does not characterize 100% of reality
in the city.
For example, in the South region of
Sao José dos Campos,
near to PEV Residential Gazzo
a large amount of electronic waste
was observed
irregularly disposed of.
In São José dos Campos,
several points were observed
with irregular disposal,
mainly located in the South and East zones,
where electronic waste
were mixed with
clothing, debris and packaging.
Moreover, in some places
electronic waste were charred,
and mostly,
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) televisions.
In such equipment,
there is the presence of heavy metals,
plastics and other components
which when burned
are volatile and release toxic chemicals,
both harming humans
and the environment.
Although this problem is recurrent
many local residents of the regions
where these irregular disposals occur,
are mobilizing themselves to raise awareness
of those who still commit these actions,
through fixed posters in the places
where such practices commonly occur.
Such actions of electronic waste irregular disposal
can cause extensive damage.
According to engineer Gabriela Nenna Ferraresi,
employee of CETESB (Sao Paulo State environmental agency),
if management of this waste
is not carried out in facilities
equipped with pollution control equipment
and environment protection systems,
it can occur contamination of the soil,
surface, groundwater
and air.
In face of these problems,
there are waste collectors
operating in the city.
Their work is considered
an environmental action of large importance,
removing a wide range
of waste from the environment.
In an interview with one of these
environmental agents
he comments what electronic wastes are
most commonly found in the streets
of Sao José dos Campos.
Remote controls,
old cellphones.
Computer,
notebook, video-game,
we find almost everything, right?!
Monitors, plasma TV,
notebook, all complete.
Sometimes it only falls and breaks a little
people throw away and I take all.
We find a lot off car battery.
In addition, he explains
what are the main days
in which these types
of equipment are found
that were discarded on the streets
or other inappropriate places.
Some days are good, but there are days
like today, Saturday, is weaker.
During the week there is much more than today.
After collecting and sorting
the environmental agent sells
the residue in an informal place.
This practice has some problems
when carried out without proper care.
Part of the waste can
return to the environment with equal
or greater degree of risk,
as emphasized by the CETESB specialist
Gabriela Ferraresi.
"Although recycling and reuse
of this waste is done
rejects are always generated
which should have the
environmentally sound final disposal.
In a general way,
it is known that waste containing
heavy metals must be allocated
to hazardous waste landfills. "
The irregular disposal of electronic waste
is still a common case
to be found in various locations,
mostly suburban.
Despite the great economic potential
of this type of waste
many don't know
or ignore this fact,
making the disposal of
electric and electronic waste
indiscriminate.
Because of this,
gradual actions are necessary,
as government awareness programs
and increased dissemination
regarding the proper disposal
and their social and economic,
political and environmental benefits.
There is also need
for better engagement among these spheres
to minimize this problem.
This video
has the intention of helping in raising awareness
and knowledge of the variables
related to disposal,
allowing to draw more objective
actions and goals
that benefit society
and the environment.
authors:
Carlos Alberto Silvestre de Morais
Laís Ayumi Shiki
LaWEEEda project
Professor Ricardo Gabbay
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