New study finds Canadians prone to generating electronic waste

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Canadians are tossing out their electronics at a concerning rate, finds a new study by researchers at the University of Waterloo.

The study, published this month in the Journal of Cleaner Production, predicts Canadians will generate approximately 2.3 million tons of e-waste from 2025 to 2030.

Over the past two decades, Canada’s discarded e-waste has already tripled, and further increases pose serious environmental and public-health risks, say researchers.

Elham Mohammadi, a UW postdoctoral scholar, explained that e-waste contains hazardous substances, including heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and acids that can harm the environment.

“If electronics are improperly disposed of or discarded, these substances can leach into the soil and water, causing harm to ecosystems and human health,” said Mohammadi.

“Electronics contain critical materials like copper, gold, cobalt and many rare elements, so when devices are discarded too early or sent into the landfills or even discarded illegally, those valuable resources are lost, and new mining is required, which requires more energy. This increases environmental damage, and it can cause lots of other environmental issues.”

Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a group of chemical fire retardants, are commonly found in e-waste. Exposure to them can be toxic to humans and animals, leading to health issues such as endocrine disorders, neurodevelopmental deficits and cancer.

Mohammadi noted that a large portion of our e-waste is exported to developing countries, leaving their residents to bear the environmental and health consequences.

“When these electronics are exported to those parts of the world, they are kept in improper landfills, and sometimes kids are exposed to the hazardous electronic waste. There are some studies showing that specific health impacts are arising around those areas,” said Mohammadi.

One major factor contributing to Canada’s e-waste problem is the short lifespan Canadians give to their electronics. Mohammadi’s research surveyed 800 households across nine provinces. She discovered that many people are replacing their electronics before they break down simply because they feel outdated.

“Another striking finding was that around 65 per cent of replacements happen even when the device or electronic treatment hasn’t completely failed. So, they are still functional and usable, but people often upgrade and want to buy a new one for new features, new experiences, better performance or convenience,’’ Mohammadi explained.

Her analysis also revealed that cellphones are one of the electronics people replace most frequently. Her findings indicate that the average lifespan of a phone in Canada is 4.5 years.

“Around 70 per cent of the consumers who are discarding their electronics are buying their products brand new, which means that they’re not in the second-hand market,” Mohammadi added.

Currently, Canada’s approach to e-waste focuses on downstream recycling, meaning the system mainly deals with electronics after they have already been discarded. Mohammadi emphasizes the importance of preventing e-waste generation in the first place.

“A more effective approach would prioritize upstream solutions,’’ she explained. “By upstream solutions, I mean preventing rates in the first place. That means policies and business models should encourage a long product lifetime. Having phones and other electronics which can be repaired easily is one way that we can do that, and also being able to buy the product second hand or refurbish or raising awareness about the importance of these aspects.’’

For individuals looking to minimize their e-waste, there are some more sustainable options currently on the market. Some companies, such as Best Buy and Walmart, offer refurbished electronics. Beyond being more eco-friendly, these refurbished electronics are also more affordable.

“Consumers might be concerned about the durability of these products,” said Muhammadi, “There needs to be more awareness, and there needs to be more clarification on durability and standards for these refurbished products.”

 Courtesy: www.prpeak.com