In the developed world we are encouraged to recycle our mobile phones with the assurance that this will be done responsibly and avoid environmental harm. However, many phones are just resold for reuse in developing countries, so what happens to these when they become life expired?
E-waste processing in countries such as China often involves women and children scavenging through electronic components for traces of precious metals, breaking up and burning old computers with little protective clothing. Once products are burnt, the poverty-stricken recyclers sift the remains for precious metals. This process releases toxic chemicals, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) used in circuit boards. Some BFRs induce neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity and when electronics are burnt or smelted in the open, BFRs can form additional toxic chemicals.
Acid is also used by the workers to extract gold from burnt circuit boards. Pollution of local rivers in certain places has become so bad that drinking water has to be brought in from outside. It has also been reported that miscarriages are six times more likely in areas polluted by e-waste. The people in Guiyu, China have exhibited some of the highest levels of cancer-causing pollutants ever documented. Over two-thirds of children have excess levels of lead in their blood and cases of brain damage have been recorded.