Interesting Words: E-waste

Taken from http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/words-in-the-news-e-waste/

E-waste – language and words in the news

by Kati Sule on September 28, 2009

E-waste is the new BuzzWord this week on Macmillan Online Dictionary.

The term e-waste, an abbreviation for electronic waste, and sometimes also referred to as e-scrap, describes used electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc., that have been discarded. According to estimates by the UN, the world produces up to 50 million tonnes of e-waste per year.

For more information about e-waste and electronic waste recycling see the links below.

EDay in New Zealand
“New Zealand-wide, more than 1000 tonnes of electronic waste is expected to be diverted from landfills on eDay. The e-waste’s ultimate destination is South Korea, where valuable components are given a second life and remaining materials are responsibly disposed of.

Short video on e-waste in India (7:50 minutes)
“Every year, hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile phones are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters. Thousands more are exported, often illegally, from Europe, US, Japan and other industrialised countries, to Asia. There, workers at scrap yards, some of whom are children, are exposed to a cocktail of toxic chemicals and poisons.”

The world is consuming more and more electronic products every year. This has caused a dangerous explosion in electronic scrap (e-waste) containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals that cannot be disposed of or recycled safely. But this problem can be avoided. We are pressing leading electronic companies to change; to turn back the toxic tide of e-waste. Every year, hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile phones are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters. Thousands more are exported, often illegally, from the Europe, US, Japan and other industrialised countries, to Asia. There, workers at scrap yards, some of whom are children, are exposed to a cocktail of toxic chemicals and poisons.