In a new report released by the UN Environment Programme, findings reveal that developing nations such as Morocco, China, India and South Africa are experiencing a growing pile of e-waste issues with the rise in popularity of electronics.
The consequences could be damaging to public health and the local environments if not addressed properly and in a timely fashion. Currently, over 40 million tonnes of e-waste is being generated globally per year. This number has caused the UN experts to warn countries that action must be taken to prevent disastrous consequences.
The report drew on 11 separate developing countries to estimate future and current e-waste production. E-waste includes items such as printers, mobile phones, pagers, laptop computers, refrigerators, toys, and televisions.
Morocco, which was the only Middle Eastern country included in the report, is producing roughly 13,500 metric tonnes of e-waste each year just from computers and television sets.
The report also indicates that in countries such as China and South Africa the amount of e-waste being accumulated will increase 200-400% over the course of the next 10 years. In India, these waste levels are expected to increase by 500%.
|
|
