GOOD AFTERNOON

AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE
Objectives:-
On completion of this unit you will be able to
• Comprehend the main idea
• Learn new words
• Read and understand a paragraph
Pre-reading activity
i. What would you do with your outdated mobile
/computer/printer/laptop?
ii. What are the side effects of used and
unwanted electronic gadget?
iii. How can we permanently get rid of used and
unwanted electronic gadgets?
iv. What is the word to describe unwanted and
dumped electronic gadgets? What is its short
form
Activity-1:- Images of e-waste
 Activity-2:- Causes and effects of e-waste
1.E-Waste Negatively Impacts The Soil :-
• First, e-waste can have a damaging effect on the soil of a region. As e-waste breaks down, it releases toxic heavy
metals. Such heavy metals include lead, arsenic, and cadmium.
• When these toxins leach into the soil, they influence the plants and trees that are crowing from this soil.
• Thus, these toxins can enter the human food supply, which can lead to birth defects as well as a number of other health
complications.

2. E-Waste Negatively Impacts The Water :-

• E-waste that is improperly disposed of by residents or businesses also leads to toxins entering groundwater.
• This groundwater is what underlies many surface streams, ponds, and lakes. Many animals rely on these channels of
water for nourishment. Thus, these toxins can make these animals sick and cause imbalances in the planetary ecosystem.
• E-waste can also impact humans that rely on this water. Toxins like lead, barium, mercury, and lithium are also
considered carcinogenic.

3. E-Waste Negatively Impacts The Air :-

• When e-waste is disposed of at the landfill, it’s usually burned by incinerators on site.
• This process can release hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, which pollutes the air that many animals and humans rely on.
• Furthermore, these hydrocarbons can contribute to the greenhouse gas effect, which many scientists think is a leading
contributor to global warming.
Lead is found in a wide variety of cell phone components including the circuit boards, batteries and as a stabilizer in
PVC products. Lead exposure can cause damage to the reproductive, blood and nervous systems.

Mercury is used in the cell phone’s battery, crystal displays and circuit boards. A single cell phone contains up to 2
grams of mercury. Mercury exposure contributes to brain and kidney damage.

Arsenic is found in the microchips of many electronic devices including mobile phones. In high doses, arsenic poisoning is
lethal. Low levels of exposure cause negative impacts on skin, liver, nervous and respiratory systems.

Cadmium is used in the battery of a cell phone. It is associated with deficits in cognition, learning, behavior and
neuromotor skills in children. It has also been linked to kidney damage.

Chlorine is a component of plastics used in cell phones, specifically polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC makes up about 30%
of the cell phone. Exposure to improperly disposed chlorine causes tissue damage and the destruction of cell structure.

Bromine is a component in a group of fire retardant chemicals known as brominated flame retardants. It is associated
with cognitive and developmental deficits. Studies have shown that bromine contributes to the disruption in the thyroid
hormone balance, brain damage and cancer.
Activity-3:- Prevention/recycling
E-waste can be prevented:

1. Buy less. Buying more and more things without

need is probably the biggest cause of e-
waste
2. Give away or donate your e-waste.
3. Give Back to Your Electronic Companies and
Drop Off Points.
4. Sell it Give Your Electronic Waste to a
Certified E-Waste Recycler
The Electronics Recycling Process:-

Electronics recycling can be challenging because discarded electronics devices are sophisticated devices manufactured
from varying proportions of glass, metals, and plastics. The process of recycling can vary, depending on the materials
being recycled and the technologies employed, but here is a general overview.

Collection and Transportation: Collection and transportation are two of the initial stages of the recycling process,
including for e-waste. Recyclers place collection bins or electronics take-back booths in specific locations and transport
the collected e-waste from these sites to recycling plants and facilities.

Shredding, Sorting, and Separation: After collection and transportation to recycling facilities, materials in the e-waste
stream must be processed and separated into clean commodities that can be used to make new products. Efficient
separation of materials is the foundation of electronics recycling. Shredding the e-waste facilitates the sorting and
separation of plastics from metals and internal circuitry, and waste items are shredded into pieces as small as 100mm
to prepare for further sorting.

A powerful overhead magnet separates iron and steel from the waste stream on the conveyor and then prepares it for
sale as recycled steel. Further mechanical processing separates aluminum, copper, and circuit boards from the material
stream—which now is mostly plastic. Water separation technology is then used to separate glass from plastics. The
final step in the separation process locates and extracts any remaining metal remnants from the plastics to purify the
stream further.

Preparation For Sale as Recycled Materials: After the shredding, sorting and separation stages have been executed, the
separated materials are prepared for sale as usable raw materials for the production of new electronics or other
products.
Team members:-
1. AKHILA
2. GIRIDHAR
3. PRABHAS
4. HEMANTH
5. MANOJ
6. SADHIK
Thank you