E-waste with the Demand for Electronics in New Zealand

Executive Summary

Every product has a useful life associated with it. This is specifically true for electronic products such as TV, DVD, Computers, Laptops and even vacuum machines and air conditioners. With increase in purchasing power and the need to maintain a certain standard of living, more and more consumers have been found to discard their electronic products as they near their useful life. These products are not entirely unusable. A clear definition of e-waste is non-existent. There are two major reasons for the increase in growing concern for e-waste. To begin with, since the items discarded are electronic, it must be understood that advancement in technology and the introduction of a new model of an electronic device makes the previous one obsolete and undesirable. In addition, the changing lifestyles and the growing economies and access to funds have made it possible for people to buy anything and everything they want. In every year there are about 3 million televisions that are discarded by people in New Zealand. These are generally old TVs. Another 3 million phones get discarded for various reasons.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

E-waste4

Causes of e-waste5

Types of e-wastes5

E-waste and pollution6

Nature of the problem for New Zealand7

Possible Solutions to the problem9

Conclusion10

References11

E-waste with the Demand for Electronics in New Zealand

Introduction

Every product has a useful life associated with it. This is specifically true for electronic products such as TV, DVD, Computers, Laptops and even vacuum machines and air conditioners. With increase in purchasing power and the need to maintain a certain standard of living, more and more consumers have been found to discard their electronic products as they near their useful life. These products are not entirely unusable. Hence, most of this waste can be reused, recycled or even refurbished (Farid, 2012). Among the various segments that make part of the national waste, electronic waste is one of the major contributors in both the developed as well as developing nations.

The paper discusses the concept of e-waste, its contribution to pollution, the implications of the problem for New Zealand and the strategies that may be adopted to address the growing concern.

E-waste

E-waste is also known as e-scrap and is the short term for electronic waste. As per a most concise definition of the concept of e-waste, the term is applicable to business and consumer electronic goods such as entertainment devices, electronic equipment and mobile phones, refrigerators etc. This equipment should be essentially towards the end of its life. However, it must be stated that a clear definition of e-waste is non-existent. This is so because the grouping of several electronic items becomes difficult (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). The items that are discarded and have some salvage value left are included. Among the items that are discarded, there are different categories such as reusable, secondary scrap and recyclable.

The waste is that part of the dumped item which cannot be used even after its recycling. Waste is anything which is obsolete. However, in order to protect the ...