E-Waste is a blend of valuable and toxic substances. More than half of E-Waste is Iron and Steel, while plastics and other metals such as copper and aluminum constitute nearly 1/3rd of the E-Waste generated. The rest consists of hazardous substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins that can cause life-threatening damage to humans.
In the informal sector, recyclers cherry-pick and extract valuable metals such as gold and silver using crude processes that harm the environment. They discard the toxic materials in landfills or drains, degrading soil and groundwater for generations to come! Formal recyclers are regulated by the government, and process E-Waste without harming the environment. If you love the Earth, get your old electronics recycled by the formal sector!
E-Waste can poison the air you breathe, if not disposed properly! Unauthorized recycling of E-Waste through methods such as Shredding, Melting, and Burning harms the people living and working near dump sites, and even those living thousands of miles away. Breathing such highly polluted air for a sustained period of time can cause Chronic Diseases and Cancer.
E-Waste enters our rivers and lakes when recyclers dump hazardous materials into drains or directly into water bodies. The heavy metals in E-Waste can contaminate our sources of drinking water, and cause the death of fish along with other marine creatures. Drinking such polluted water can threaten our current and future generations by severely impacting our nervous, reproductive and urinary systems!
When E-Waste is dumped in a landfill, it can degrade the soil and enter our food chain! Toxins such as heavy metals, PCBs, and flame retardants from dumping sites can seep into the soil, contaminating our crops and percolating into groundwater. Consuming food and water laced with these hazardous chemicals raises the risk of skin disease and cancer among the population!
Through our revolutionary E-Waste drive, Lions Clubs India is on a mission to reduce India’s E-Waste burden and inculcate a culture of recycling among Indians, by encouraging Indians to donate and recycle their devices through the formal sector, we aim to significantly reduce pollution and make our air, water and soil free from the scourge of E-Waste! Not only do we want to save our planet, we want to bridge the digital divide by providing refurbished devices to people who can’t afford them, and transforming their lives!
Every revolution begins with knowledge! Share these informative resources with your friends, family and colleagues to make them join the Lions in our mission against E-Waste.
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