Current waste generation of e-waste and challenges in developing countries: an overview

Abstract

The rapid growth of in information and telecommunication technology ((ICT) has led to the improvement in the capacity of computers but simultaneously decrease the product lifetime which contribute to rapid amount of e-waste. This paper reviews about electric and electronic waste (e-waste) challenges faced by developing countries. There were several challenges such as awareness of citizen, existing of informal sector, financing problem as well as regulation of developing countries itself. Informal sectors are most active in waste recycling in developing countries because the profits made from the resale of recovered materials. They do not have an issue how to deal with the environment as long as they got the valuable and precious material from e-waste. Moreover, a lack of financial program forms a major drawback as e-waste treatment requires costly and advanced technology. Current e-waste generation keeps increasing in developing countries such as India, China, and Malaysia. The recovery facilities have increased tremendously as a result from the generation itself. Therefore, social approaches and technical approaches are both needed in order to minimize the problem. Social approaches are changing the public behaviour by improving community through training and encouragement of partnerships in e-waste management.