21-04-2012, 01:04 PM
GREEN ELECTRONICS
ELECTRONICS SEMINAR-GREENELECTRONICS.doc (Size: 137 KB / Downloads: 51)
INTRODUCTION:
Electronics has made life easier for us. But the omnipresence of electronics in modern life has a seamy underside. Certain materials used in electronic products are toxic and pose a threat to the environment. The situation is becoming serious with the increasing use of electronics.
Alarm bells have started ringing. And to tackle the situation, the industry is resorting to green electronics. Green electronics focuses on elimination of harmful elements and components, and recycling of electronic products at the end of life. Among the harmful elements are lead, cadmium, mercury and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE).
WHAT IS GREEN ELECTRONICS?
Green electronics refers to recycle or reuse their electronics products once they have reached end-of-life. It was designed by The Consumer Electronics Association to empower consumers to make what some people consider "responsible choices" throughout their products’ life cycle (purchasing, use, reuse, and recycling), but does not specifically endorse any one company or business practice, and is meant to be an objective resource.
There is a growing desire by governmental and private institutional purchasers to reduce the environmental impact of the electronic products they buy. To date, however, institutional purchasers have not been able to easily distinguish environmentally preferable products
among all those in the marketplace. There was no consensus on what environmental aspects of a product should be evaluated, how they should be weighted, and how those aspects could be incorporated into the purchasing process. Current ecolabels are either not well known, or the range of certified products is too limited for large purchasers. Governmental purchasers also lack the expertise to evaluate complex environmental issues.
INCINERATION:
Incineration entails destroying the e-waste including computers and other electronic devices and components by burning. But this waste contributes significantly to heavy metals and halogen Ted substances. Because of the variety of different substances found together in electro scrap, incineration is particularly dangerous.
The introduction of waste from electrical and electronic equipment into incinerators results in high concentrations of metals, including heavy metals, in the slag, fly ash, flue gas and filter cake. More than 90 per cent of cadmium and lead put to an incinerator is found in the fly ash and more than 70 per cent of the mercury in the filter cake. Some producers send their electro scrap to cement kilns for use as an alternative to fuel. Smelting can present dangers similar to incineration.
LANDFILLING:
Landfilling involves disposing the e-waste by burying it, especially as a method of filling in and reclaiming excavated pits. But it has become common knowledge that all landfills leak. Even the best state-of- the- art landfills dont remain completely tight throughout their lifetimes and a certain amount of chemical and metal leaching will occur. The situation is worse for older or uncontrolled dump sites.
CONCLUSION:
Using alternative materials such as tin for soldering and copper for wiring will have reduced toxic effects than lead and PVC. Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can be recovered for future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural resources are conserved and air and water pollution caused by hazardous disposal is avoided. Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of new products. It simply makes good sense and is efficient to recycle and to do our part to keep the environment green.
ELECTRONICS SEMINAR-GREENELECTRONICS.doc (Size: 137 KB / Downloads: 51)
INTRODUCTION:
Electronics has made life easier for us. But the omnipresence of electronics in modern life has a seamy underside. Certain materials used in electronic products are toxic and pose a threat to the environment. The situation is becoming serious with the increasing use of electronics.
Alarm bells have started ringing. And to tackle the situation, the industry is resorting to green electronics. Green electronics focuses on elimination of harmful elements and components, and recycling of electronic products at the end of life. Among the harmful elements are lead, cadmium, mercury and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE).
WHAT IS GREEN ELECTRONICS?
Green electronics refers to recycle or reuse their electronics products once they have reached end-of-life. It was designed by The Consumer Electronics Association to empower consumers to make what some people consider "responsible choices" throughout their products’ life cycle (purchasing, use, reuse, and recycling), but does not specifically endorse any one company or business practice, and is meant to be an objective resource.
There is a growing desire by governmental and private institutional purchasers to reduce the environmental impact of the electronic products they buy. To date, however, institutional purchasers have not been able to easily distinguish environmentally preferable products
among all those in the marketplace. There was no consensus on what environmental aspects of a product should be evaluated, how they should be weighted, and how those aspects could be incorporated into the purchasing process. Current ecolabels are either not well known, or the range of certified products is too limited for large purchasers. Governmental purchasers also lack the expertise to evaluate complex environmental issues.
INCINERATION:
Incineration entails destroying the e-waste including computers and other electronic devices and components by burning. But this waste contributes significantly to heavy metals and halogen Ted substances. Because of the variety of different substances found together in electro scrap, incineration is particularly dangerous.
The introduction of waste from electrical and electronic equipment into incinerators results in high concentrations of metals, including heavy metals, in the slag, fly ash, flue gas and filter cake. More than 90 per cent of cadmium and lead put to an incinerator is found in the fly ash and more than 70 per cent of the mercury in the filter cake. Some producers send their electro scrap to cement kilns for use as an alternative to fuel. Smelting can present dangers similar to incineration.
LANDFILLING:
Landfilling involves disposing the e-waste by burying it, especially as a method of filling in and reclaiming excavated pits. But it has become common knowledge that all landfills leak. Even the best state-of- the- art landfills dont remain completely tight throughout their lifetimes and a certain amount of chemical and metal leaching will occur. The situation is worse for older or uncontrolled dump sites.
CONCLUSION:
Using alternative materials such as tin for soldering and copper for wiring will have reduced toxic effects than lead and PVC. Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can be recovered for future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural resources are conserved and air and water pollution caused by hazardous disposal is avoided. Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of new products. It simply makes good sense and is efficient to recycle and to do our part to keep the environment green.