The Importance of Responsible Electronic Waste Treatment for Sustainability

Abstract

Waste production is experiencing a significant increase in correlation with the growth of the human population and industrial activities. The kind of waste that is expanding at a rapid rate is known as "e-waste," which stands for electronic waste. In the context of electronic waste, the term refers to the waste produced during the disposal of electronic devices and any other components utilized in making or operating these devices. In the same way that different types of waste occur, electronic waste pollutes the environment and the human population. Electronic waste seriously threatens ecosystems and human health if not properly disposed of. The quantity of e-waste generated on a global scale is increasing continuously due to the short lifetime of electronic devices and the fast advancement of technology. Developing sustainable treatment methods for electronic waste is critical to address this issue. Valuable materials are utilized to fabricate electronic devices to enhance their functionality, longevity, conductivity, and efficacy. To mitigate pollution, recycling electronic waste is an absolute necessity due to the factors above. Although this fact remains true, numerous organizations exhibit reluctance towards recycling their electronic devices due to apprehensions regarding the potential exposure of sensitive information. Conversely, secure data deletion is now a reality due to the continuous development of technological capabilities.