Recycling E-waste!

By: Nabeeha Fatima Haque

In this era of modern electronics, everyone tends to upgrade their cell phones and throw away the old ones and this is apparently considered to be ‘tech savvy’. It’s not just cell phones, but also broken laptops, headphones and cable cords that are simply discarded away. It seems that "out with the old, in with the new" is easier said than done when it comes to electronics. The accumulation of used gadgets like computers, headphones and mp3 players is increasing every day. But have you ever wondered what happens to all this e-junk once it has been abandoned? The refuse from discarded electronic products, also known as e-waste, often ends up in landfills or incinerators instead of being recycled. This means toxic substances like lead, cadmium and mercury that are commonly used in these products can contaminate the land, water and air. This poses hazards for both humans and the environment. Even though e-waste accounts for only about 5% of total waste in Qatar, it is the fastest growing subcategory. Hence, it is necessary that precautions and operational steps are taken during the production of electronic devices to ensure that they are made with more environmentally friendly materials and that people are well informed on the appropriate ways of disposing them. This will reduce environmental damage and the harmful effects of e-waste. Moreover, Qatar is drafting a law on the safe management of the country’s fast accumulating stock of hazardous electronic waste (e-waste). Also, Qtel has already launched Qatar’s first e-waste recycling program, to ensure safe and secure disposal of cell phones and other electronic equipment. This also calls for the need to introduce e-waste recycling programs in QF. Recycling your electronic waste is the only way you can be certain that it has been properly disposed off in an environment-friendly manner.