E-waste pollution’ injurious to human health

e waste or electronic waste is serious problem in today’s world.E-waste, or electronic waste, describes end-of-life electrical goods such as computers, televisions, printers, and mobile phones.
According to the research Each year between 20–50 million tons of e-waste is generated worldwide, 100,000 tons of which is exported from UK shores, according to a recent BBC Panorama programme. A large proportion of worldwide e-waste is exported to China.

Main source of transfer in human body is through the contaminated air,Due to the crude recycling process, many pollutants, such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, are released from e-waste, which can easily accumulate in the human body.

this e-waste directly attack those cells in our body which help us to recover against breathing issues.

Co-author of the study Dr Fangxing Yang, of Zhejiang University, said, “Both inflammatory response and oxidative stress may lead to DNA damage, which could induce oncogenesis, or even cancer. Of course, inflammatory response and oxidative stress are also associated with other diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.”

Both inflammatory response and oxidative stress may lead to DNA damage, which could induce oncogenesis, or even cancer,” says co-author Dr Fangxing Yang of Zhejiang University. “Of course, inflammatory response and oxidative stress are also associated with other diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.”

The team took air samples from one of the largest e-waste dismantling areas in China and examined their effects on human lung epithelial cells. The Taizhou center in Zhejiang province involves more than 60,000 people and dismantles more than two million tons of e-waste each year.

The samples included persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, which can easily accumulate in the human body.

And after exposing the cultured lung cells to the organic-soluble and water-soluble constituents of the samples, the researchers tested for the level of Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a key mediator of inflammatory response, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) – chemically reactive molecules that can cause extensive damage in excess.

DIRECT EFFECT

[list style=”unordered” type=”type3″] Dust in indoor air generated in manual and mechanical dismantling processes (e.g. when processing plastics or CRT);
Filter dust generated in the mechanical dismantling process;
Noise emissions during the manual and mechanical dismantling process (conveyor belts, hammering, shredders etc.);
Deviations from occupational safety standard
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INDIRECT EFFECT

[list style=”unordered” type=”type3″] Air pollution related to (HT) incineration (however the situation has been very much improved since waste gas purification systems are a common standard);
Emissions due to transportation of materials;
Contamination of water systems and soil near landfills.
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