E-Waste in Bangladesh is Largely Handled by Informal Sector
The workers do not practice necessary safety measures, thus exposing themselves to toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The rapid digitalization of public and private sectors in Bangladesh has resulted in significant boost in use of electronic devices. The management of retired electronic devices pose serious challenges. As in the rest of the world, e-waste is obviously one of the fastest-growing waste streams in Bangladesh too.
The country uses unscientific methods to treat end-of-life electronic devices. Nearly 97% of the electronic waste in the country is handled by informal sector. The informal sector employs primitive techniques such as manual dismantling and burning. This has contributed to notable damage to the environment and has caused serious health hazard for people working in the country’s e-waste recycling sector.
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The workers do not practice necessary safety measures, thus exposing themselves to toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium.
The capital city of Dhaka along with other major cities in the country produces thousands of tonnes of e-waste every year. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased use of information technology devices, which in turn has resulted in boosted e-waste volumes.
In June last year, the country’s Department of Environment (DoE) had published hazardous waste management rules, which makes it mandatory for registered manufacturers and recyclers of electronic waste to submit detailed WEEE management plan.