MAYJOSH J.

NAPATAL REACTION PAPER #3

SSC X-DIAMOND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

UNIDO promotes e-waste management in the Philippines

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) discussed the

segregation of plastic components of e-wastes possibly contaminated with Polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) with the Integrated Recycling Industries (IRI), who was selected as
facility partner for the project “Implementation of PCB Management Programmes for Electric
Cooperatives and Safe e-waste Management”. Indeed, plastic components of electronics
wastes such as TV sets and computer monitors could be contaminated with Polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); they therefore need waste segregation for proper disposal; UNIDO, in
partnership with the Environmental Management Bureau-Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) and with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
addresses this issue with the project. IRI will segregate plastic components of e-waste possibly
contaminated with PBDEs. Representative plastic samples with elevated concentrations of
bromine will be analyzed to determine the particular PBDE congeners that are present. PBDE-
contaminated plastics will eventually be disposed through co-processing in cement kilns to
prevent them from re-entering the recycling stream, thus averting secondary contamination.
PBDEs were once widely used as flame retardants for plastic casings of electrical and electronic
equipment but were found to be persistent organic pollutants (POPs), thus listed under the
Stockholm Convention on POPs for elimination.

In my own understanding, e-wastes are simply electronic wastes. However, this does not
change the fact that they are, indeed, still harmful for our environment. There are lots of harmful
plastics present in these e-wastes which can damage our surroundings and increase the
pollution everywhere we go. I agree with the UNIDO, since no matter how we look at it, it is only
just to dispose these e-wastes. However, to not increase the work of the people who dispose
these, we should also discipline ourselves to use these electronics wisely and not carelessly, so
that it will have a long life, because our problems should be solved not only by certain people,
but all of us.