E-Waste Generation and Their Impacts On Health and Environment A Study Over Gazipur District, Bangladesh
E-Waste Generation and Their Impacts On Health and Environment A Study Over Gazipur District, Bangladesh
E-Waste Generation and Their Impacts On Health and Environment A Study Over Gazipur District, Bangladesh
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Abstract:- The electrical and electronics industry is one assets are utilized to create these things. Thus, the fast
of the world’s fastest-growing manufacturing sectors. development of electrical and electronic devices is driving
As a result of this rise in production, as well as the the ever-expanding creation of electronic waste (Mmereki
increasing rate of product consumption, e-waste from et al., 2016). Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), has become waste or e-waste is the discarded electric products, one of
the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. This the fastest-growing solid waste streams around the world
study helps to quantify the existing generation rate, today. This situation prevailed everywhere and it’s hard to
health, and environmental impacts of e-waste. A survive in this world without machines. Humans are fully
structured questionnaire has been processed in Gazipur influenced by machines that make our lives more
and existing literature was reviewed. A total of 1200 comfortable. To satisfy the requirements of the people who
households were interviewed using structured need electrical goods are getting popular day by day and
questionnaires. The results revealed that several income they get crowded in the market. Finally, these goods result
families used different types of electronics products. E- in the generation of e-waste (Herat & Agamuthu, 2012).In
product consumption depends on an individual’s 2019, the world produced a noticeable 53.6 megatons (Mt)
income and e-waste generation depends on warranty of e-waste, a normal of 7.3 kg per capita. The worldwide
policy and product life cycle. The health consequences generation of e-waste increased by 9.2 Mt since 2014 and is
of both direct exposures during recycling and indirect projected to increase to 74.7 Mt by 2030 – nearly
exposures through environmental contamination are multiplying in just 16 years. Asia created 24.9Mt of e-waste
potentially severe but poorly studied. E-waste concepts which is the highest amount over the world. Americas (13.1
are relatively new in Gazipur as a result this study Mt) and Europe (12 Mt), while Africa and Oceania
revealed, 840 households were aware of health and produced 2.9 Mt and 0.7 Mt, individually (Adrian et al.,
environmental impacts. E-waste minimization, reuse, or 2020). In 2016, 44.7 million metric tons of e-waste was
recycling is necessary but it should be conducted in a generated (Balde et al., 2017). Malaysia (0.8 to 1.3kg) per
safe and standardized system. Recycling stations should capita (Mmereki et al., 2016), Europe 16.2 kg per capita,
be established with maintaining safety measures for and America 13.3kg per capita e-waste generate (Balde et
workers and to conserve the environment from being al., 2017). European Union (EU), e-waste is growing at a
contaminated. The government should involve in waste rate of 3% to 5% per annum, or approximately three times
management by establishing rules and regulations faster than other individual waste streams in the solid waste
specific to health safety and environmental issue sector (Schwarzer et al., 2005). Developing countries like
relating to e-waste. Bangladesh are projected to generate twice as much as e-
waste for the next 6-8years as industrialized countries (Yu
Keywords:- E-product consumption and e-waste et al., 2010). Bangladesh generates almost 2.7 million
generation, E-waste recycling, health, and environmental metric tons of e-waste every year and even generation rate
impacts. increasing every year. Shipbreaking yard, television sets,
and Information Technology (IT) sector generate e-waste
I. INTRODUCTION 2.5 million metric tons, 0.182 million metric tons, and
31751.5 metric tons respectively (Alam & Bahauddin,
The production, distribution, and consumption of 2015). This brings about a significant threat to public health
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) is strongly and the environment (Afroz et al., 2012). The EEE industry
linked to global economic and communication system is responsible for 10%–20% of the worldwide
development. With the fast advancement of innovation, environmental impact related to the depletion of non-
manufacturers currently produce superior TVs, new and renewable resources (Cruz-Sotelo et al., 2017). As a
more brilliant cell phones, and gadgets at an expanding rate consequence, electronic wastes have become a new policy
(Babu et al., 2007). People are getting involved in the use priority around the globe and decision-makers have the
of what innovation brings, communicating on their challenge of handling the waste of electrical and electronic
advanced mobile phones or tablets, and observing top- devices to minimize health impact in an economical and
quality motion pictures on their TVs at home. As an ever- environmentally friendly manner (Araceli & Dios, 2015).
increasing number of electronic items are delivered to In the past, most e-waste regulations are prompted by and
satisfy the necessities of individuals around the world, more focused on environmental protection. Recently, e-waste
Fig 1:- Geographical Location map of the study area (Gazipur District).
Education is an important factor in developing countries like Bangladesh, ensuring the economic condition of the
household’s improvement and changing the lifestyle, motivations, and Electrical home appliances. This study found respondents
completed primary, secondary, higher secondary, and graduate in number 60, 80, 160, and 900 respectively (Figure 4). Education
also influences for better employment opportunities and social establishments. Higher educated have better possibilities for
income higher income (figure 5).
According to the study, a considerable number of the respondents 175,374,502 and 149 monthly income above 41000,
31000-40000, 21000-30000, and 10000-20000 BDT respectively (Figure 3).
The occupational variation is also found, where private employees, businesses, teachers, workers, and government
employees are 63%, 12%, 10%, 7%, and 8% respectively.
Fig 6:- Relationship between an individual's income and average EEE consumption by a household in 2019.
Economic conditions, education levels, and conditioner (0.525), oven (0.7), and washing machine
occupations are interlinked and affect the EEE consumption (0.425). Fewer amounts of these products are available in a
amount. The high income of a household determined by middle-income household. Mobile phones, electronic fan,
education level and electrical equipment consumption bulb, rice cooker, blunder are common products all of the
increase by increasing the income of individuals (figure 6). household. Though television, refrigerator, computer are
The study showed that, high-income families using more luxurious products these are available in all, on average
electronic products than middle and low income. Luxurious where high levels contain television (1.2), refrigerator
electronic products such as air conditioners, washing (1.125), computer (0.8), middle level carried television
machines, oven, and computers are not available in a low- (1.1), refrigerator (1.025), computer (0.7). Fluorescent
income household. In high-income level contained air bulbs are the products which are larger volume in high and
Fig 7:- EEE consumption and e-waste generation cycle in the study area.
E-waste generates from discarded electronics appliances such as televisions, personal computers, telephones, air
conditioners, cell phones, electronic toys, etc. In 2019, a larger portion of the e-waste generated by the bulb (1.35g) generated than
any other products and mobile phones generated the second-largest amount of e-waste (1.025g). Respective amount of e-waste
also generated by the rice cooker (0.567g), blunder (0.167g), electronic fan (0.35g), television (0.25g) and refrigerators (0.225g)
in per household. Similarly, from 2015 to 2019 bulb (4.30g) was also the first position in e-waste generating, and the mobile
phone (2.242g) contain every household. The comparatively fewer amount of e-waste generated by refrigerator (0.34g), electronic
fan (0.484g) last five years than this year (0.225g), and (0.35g) (table 1). The amount of e-waste generation from non-repairable e-
products is higher than repairable e-product in a specific period (Table 2).
Electrical and electronic equipment’s E-waste generation rate, E-waste generation rate,
(EEE) gram/households (2019) gram/households (2015-2019)
Mobile Phones 1.025 2.242
Televisions 0.25 0.492
Refrigerators 0.225 0.34
Air Conditioners 0.067 0.092
Rice Cooker 0.567 1.1625
Blunder 0.167 0.192
Water Heater 0.375 0.32
Oven 0.084 0.1584
Electrical Fan 0.35 0.484
Fluorescent Bulb 1.35 4.3
Computer/Laptop 0.15 0.2584
Iron 0.175 0.22
Washing Machine 0.117 0.175
Table 1:- Average e-waste generation from non-repairable e-products of households in Gazipur City.