Let’s Talk About the Often Ignored Problem of E-Waste In Technology
Students often line up to get the newest iPhone release, without realizing the impact this has on the environment.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
As technology grows more prevalent and integrated into our daily life, e-waste becomes more and more of an issue. Electronic waste is old technology such as fridges, washing machines, mobile phones, etc. that is either thrown out or recycled. According to the Columbia University General Earth Institute, it is estimated that there will be 57 million tons of e-waste thrown out in 2021. At Riverdale and our society at large, there is a pressure to always have the newest phone or piece of technology. It feels as if after a measly two years a phone is deemed ‘old’ and needs an upgrade, and this idea only exacerbates the amount of e-waste in the world.
E-waste is not inherently bad, but the current way it is recycled in the US and the rest of the world raises some concerns. For one, rare earth metals in technology are often hazardous and the recycling methods currently used can expose vulnerable people to toxins. Much of the recycled e-waste in the US is exported to other countries where the recycling process is less regulated and therefore cheaper. In addition, e-waste often ends up in landfills that can cause harm to the surrounding environment because of the rare earth metals.
E-waste often collects in landfills, exposing the surrounding environment to toxins found in our technology.
Photos courtesy of Photo Courtesy of nsrecycling.com (Left) and Wikimedia Commons (Right)
When talking about sustainability, a lot of people overlook the impact e-waste has had on the world. Tech is seen as this hot new industry that in many ways can help make things more sustainable, but at the same time contributes to the issue. At Riverdale, I think this issue is prevalent among the students and the administration. In many ways the school wants to look modern and up to date to both current and potential students and to do that, it buys new tech. For example, the Nest in Mow has eight televisions which I think seems a bit unnecessary. Although the televisions are used in some classes and meetings, does there really need to be eight? We should recognize if we are buying technology for show more than usage and evaluate if the purpose of a tech product can be accomplished with less future waste.
In the same way, many Riverdale students buy a new phone as soon as it comes out. Technology should be built to last, and, although students are not at fault for easily breakable tech, there is a line between buying a new phone every year versus keeping your old one. To truly prevent the amount of e-waste, consumers should try to repair their tech products instead of replacing them as soon as a new phone comes out.
As Riverdale focuses more on sustainability and its impact on the environment, tech should not be left out. Sadly, disposing of e-waste properly does not solve the problem--it starts with looking at the things we and the school buys and ensuring that they will have a long life span with many uses. The issue of electronics and technology should not be ignored just because it benefits the school by making facilities look more modern and up to date to potential students. Decisions about replacing or buying new televisions, printers, and projectors should be examined closely, and we should see if they are able to be repaired first or are just unnecessary.
