Electronic waste is not only large and harmful. If not handled properly, it can cause serious harm to people and the environment. In particular, TV, computers, cell phones, stereos and other products, containing a large number of toxic and harmful substances. Waste household appliances mainly contain six kinds of harmful substances: lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polyvinyl chloride plastic, brominated flame retardants. The cathode ray tube of a television set, the solder on the printed circuit board and the plastic shell are all toxic substances. The cathode ray tube of a television set contains four to eight pounds of lead. It takes more than 700 chemicals to make a computer, which contains more than 300 chemicals that are harmful to humans. The average amount of lead in a computer monitor is more than 1 kilogram. Elemental lead can damage a person's nerves, blood system and kidneys. Batteries and switches of computers contain chromium compounds and mercury. Chromium compounds penetrate through the skin and cells and can trigger asthma; mercury destroys the nerves in the brain; chassis and disk drives contain chromium, mercury and other elements that have a huge destructive effect on the DNA of human cells and brain tissue. If these electronic wastes are casually discarded or buried, a large number of harmful substances seep into the ground, resulting in serious pollution of groundwater; if incinerated, a large number of toxic gases will be released, resulting in air pollution.
Electronic waste is a big problem that plagues the global environment. Especially in developed countries, due to the rapid replacement of electronic products, electronic waste generated faster. According to statistics, Germany produces 1.8 million tons of electronic waste each year, France 1.5 million tons, the whole of Europe about 6 million tons. And the United States is even more amazing, only out of the computer will soon reach 300 million to 600 million units. From 2002, China entered the peak of the end-of-life of electronic products, and then the amount of electronic waste generated is increasing day by day.
France The French government is drafting the relevant decree, planned for August 2005 to enable the national electronic waste recycling approach. The e-waste recycling follows the principle of reciprocity of rights and obligations of "who produces, who sells, who uses, who will bear the relevant environmental costs". According to the decree, from August 13, 2005, all new electrical appliances, from computers, TVs, refrigerators and washing machines to telephones and hair dryers, will be marked with a small trash can sign indicating that they can be recycled after their lives are over. Electronics manufacturers will be the main recycling force, bearing the cost of future recovery and recycling of their products.
The United States As early as the early 1990s, a number of mandatory regulations were put in place for the disposal of used appliances. The authorities have also promoted the recycling of waste, including used appliances, by intervening at all levels of government to ensure that products with recycled content are prioritized in government purchases.
For example, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, landfill and incineration taxes are levied to promote the recycling of waste by the companies concerned. The landfill and incineration tax tends to increase the price of the cheapest way to dispose of waste, thus greatly increasing the attractiveness of recycling used appliances. Massachusetts bans private individuals from dumping computer monitors, televisions and other electronics in landfills or incinerators.
Germany The point of recycling is to reduce pollution and save energy. This is the guiding principle of recycling old appliances in Germany. Germany is responsible for the recycling of old appliances are municipal enterprises directly under the municipal government. Through a variety of ways for the public to carry out the recycling of waste electrical appliances to provide convenience, to ensure that the recycling of waste electrical appliances through a smooth path. In addition, Germany's environmental policy in the most important who pollutes who is responsible for the principle is also an important principle in the management of electronic waste, according to the requirements of this principle, the manufacturer has the main responsibility, in addition to importers, consumers also have the corresponding responsibility.
Japan Japan has formulated the Household Electrical Appliances Recycling Law, and has been implemented from April 1, 2001 onwards. According to this law, home appliance manufacturers must undertake the obligation to recycle and utilize discarded appliances. Home appliance sellers have the obligation to collect discarded appliances and send them to manufacturers for reuse. Consumers are also partially obligated to dispose of and reuse appliances.