CSR Asia: Electronic Waste in Asia Is Piling Up

Asia represented half of smartphone unit shipment and sales in 2016. “With populations in Asia becoming increasingly affluent, Asian consumers are using and disposing of more electronics,” reports Nick Warelis for CSR Asia. So Asia, a long-time destination for discarded electronics, produces its own hefty share of electronics waste. The waste includes chemicals harmful for the environment, like mercury or lead, and valuable metals like gold and copper. Breaking down the electronics requires proper safety equipment. Governments, recognizing the potential for making money off the discarded electronics and aiming to reduce the costs of waste, impose regulations like producer recycling fees and free take-back programs for consumers. Shrinking size for many electronics makes the breakdown task more complex, and companies like Huawei consider reuse and recycling during the early product design phase to ease such processes. – YaleGlobal