As I progress through my down sizing of my library and bits and pieces I am surprised at my own electronic waste, especially cameras which have failed or I left out in the rain. I have tried to get Cannon to repair one camera but no response.
$10bn of precious metals dumped each year in electronic waste, says UN
A fast growing mountain of toxic e-waste is polluting the planet and damaging health, says new report
Damian Carrington Environment editor @dpcarrington
Fri 3 Jul 2020 00.01 AESTLast modified on Fri 3 Jul 2020 00.23 AEST
At least $10bn (£7.9bn) worth of gold, platinum and other precious metals are dumped every year in the growing mountain of electronic waste that is polluting the planet, according to a new UN report.
A record 54m tonnes of “e-waste” was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21% in five years, the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor report found. The 2019 figure is equivalent to 7.3kg for every man, woman and child on Earth, though use is concentrated in richer nations. The amount of e-waste is rising three times faster than the world’s population, and only 17% of it was recycled in 2019.
Electronic and electrical goods, from phones and computers to refrigerators and kettles, have become indispensable in modern societies and enhance lives. But they often contain toxic chemicals, and soaring production and waste damages human health and the environment, and fuels the climate crisis.
The report blames lack of regulation and the short lifespan of products that are hard or impossible to repair. Experts called the situation a “wholly preventable global scandal”.
