A SURGE in electronic waste, or e-waste, generation and a lack of a formal mechanism for e-waste management are concerning. The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024, published by the International Telecommunication Union, a specialised agency of the United Nations, says that Bangladesh is one of the largest e-waste generators in South Asia and it generated 367 million kilograms of e-waste in 2022 at a rate of 2.2 kilograms per capita. The report observes that most countries, including Bangladesh, are grappling with the surge in e-waste and the less developed countries severely lack policies and regulatory frameworks required for e-waste management. The report says that Bangladesh has only a few licensed e-waste dismantlers, which use basic resource recovery practices that are polluting and unsafe and the country does not have any formal mechanism for collecting and recycling e-waste, which poses a severe threat to the environment and humans because of the presence of toxic and hazardous materials. E-waste contains hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc, yttrium, chromium, beryllium, nickel, arsenic, antimony trioxide, tin, polyvinyl chloride, halogenated and brominated flame retardants that can leach into the soil and affect its quality and fertility when e-waste is dumped in landfills to decay.
The haphazard dumping of e-waste can make the soil less suitable for growing plants and crops, reducing the biodiversity of soil organisms. A UNEP report says that e-waste is responsible for 70 per cent of the toxic chemicals found in landfills, which can contaminate the soil and groundwater and threaten food security and livelihood. The hazardous disposal of e-waste also causes water pollution, reduces water quality and threatens aquatic life. It causes air pollution too, as burning e-waste releases toxic and harmful gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Haphazard e-waste disposal also poses a grave threat to humans. The World Health Organisation estimates that exposure to e-waste can result in a multitude of health problems, including respiratory infections, skin diseases, eye irritation, headaches, nausea, fatigue, an increased risk of cancer and neurological disorders. Despite such risks, the authorities appear to have ignored the issue for too long. The country has the Hazardous Waste (e-waste) Management Rules 2021 under the Environmental Protection Act 1995, which, as experts say, is inadequate and poorly enforced. Moreover, it does not cover all aspects of e-waste management. The law lacks specific methods and standards for e-waste collection, transportation, storage, recycling and disposal. It also does not define roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders such as public agencies, producers, importers, retailers, collectors, recyclers and consumers.
The authorities must, therefore, take a comprehensive approach founded on data, technology, regulation, research and innovation to ensure responsible e-waste management. The approach should be based on a comprehensive assessment of the current and projected e-waste generation and management, aligning with international standards and best practices. The authorities must have a formal mechanism for collecting and recycling e-waste and must ensure that producers, importers, retailers and consumers of e-products act responsibly.