A rising tide of e-waste threatens our health, the environment and the economy

Our increasing dependence on technology at home and in the workplace has increased the importance of e-waste. This includes discarded electrical devices including laptops, smartphones, televisions, computer servers, washing machines, medical equipment, gaming consoles and more.

The amount of e-waste generated this decade could reach 5 million metric tonsaccording to a recent study published in the journal Nature. This is approximately 1,000 times more e-waste than was generated in 2023.

According to the study, boom artificial intelligence will make a significant contribution to solving this e-waste problem as AI requires a lot of computing power and data storage space. This will, among other things, lead to an increase in the turnover of computer servers used in data centers that support the additional computing needs of artificial intelligence systems.

This growing wave of electronic waste, coupled with the limited lifespan of high-tech devices, could impact global sustainable development goals.

E-waste contains toxic and hazardous substances such as mercury, which can pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing types of solid waste in the world: more 5 billion mobile phones According to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment forum, they are thrown away every year.

In 2022, the volume of electronic waste will reach record 62 million tons – up 82% from 2010 – and account for 70% of the world’s total waste. However, less than 20% officially being recycled.

Data centers and transmission networks are responsible for more than 1% of world energy consumptionand 0.6% of global carbon emissions. According to a recent McKinsey ReportBy 2030, power consumption of artificial intelligence applications in the US will grow from 4% to 12% of total electricity demand today.

Meeting these demands could require investment in excess of US$500 billion (£395 billion) in data center infrastructure. This is already forcing large technology companies to find new solutions to satisfy energy hunger, such as purchasing electricity. from nuclear energy suppliers.

environmental impact e-waste is significant. Toxic chemicals in electronic and electrical equipment may pollute soil and water. In some parts of the world, electronic waste is burned extract valuable materials, air pollution. Even formal materials recycling processes create problems because of hazardous materials in waste.

Some of the factors behind the rise in e-waste, such as rising energy consumption in data centers, may also hinder efforts. reduce carbon emissions. The rising tide of waste itself could slow progress in sustainable development goalsespecially those seeking to balance economic development with environmental protection.

Of particular concern is the impact of electronic waste on human health. Discarded devices may contain carcinogenic chemicals such as PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Impact of electronic waste also associated with low birth weight and reproductive problems in adults. Children especially vulnerablesince their development can be influenced by toxic environmental substances.

The economic impact of e-waste is also significant. Cleanup costs will rise, and since relatively little e-waste is formally recycled, it could result in the loss of economically valuable resources such as gold, platinum and other critical materials used in technology.

Sources and trends

Nature study on the impact of AI on e-waste used “Analysis of material flows” predict growth in demand for equipment. The researchers proposed four scenarios for predicting the future growth of e-waste: limited, conservative, moderate and aggressive.

Based on historical information, a three-year lifespan of computer servers in data centers was assumed. The amount of e-waste was calculated by estimating the number of servers discarded each year. This made it possible to predict the total volumes of e-waste for each scenario until 2030. The results show that between 1.2 and 5.0 million tons of waste will be produced between 2020 and 2030.

The significant increase in recycling volumes highlights the need for intervention strategies. Study confirms circular economy approaches to solve this problem is a production and consumption model that keeps materials and products in use, preventing them from becoming waste.

This could include extending the lifespan of servers, reusing components, optimizing AI operations with advanced algorithms (to reduce the processing power required), and improving the efficiency of computer chips. The study estimates that such solutions can reduce e-waste by 16% to 86%, depending on how they are applied.

Integrating green design into electronic products can also benefit the environment. This could include installing more biodegradable parts in equipment, replacing toxic components with less harmful ones, and extending the life of products.

Raising public awareness is also vital. We will need to move from a “use it and throw it away” culture to one where we think twice about whether we really need new technology.

Donating the devices to other people when we’re done with them and encouraging the use of certified e-waste recycling centers where the technology is disposed of can also help. Local and national governments play an important role in e-waste management by creating policies, regulations and strategies to reduce its environmental impact and promote stable practices.

Governments are tasked with setting standards for the collection and recycling of e-waste. This helps ensure safe and efficient disposal of e-waste. The development of waste treatment technologies is an area where public investment is critical, as innovative solutions can improve safety and efficiency.

Some amount of electronic waste will always exist as technological progress is critical to improving our quality of life. But doing everything we can to reduce the amount we produce and mitigate the impact of the e-waste we produce will be vital to protecting the environment, the economy and our health.

Alina Maria WidowDirector of the Center for Business Advice for Postgraduate Students of UEL, Ambassador of the Center for Innovation, Management and Entrepreneurship, University of East London And Kirk ChangProfessor of Management and Technology, University of East London

This article has been republished from Talk under Creative Commons license. Read original article.