Department of Safety, Health, & Environmental Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliou, Yunlin County, 64002, Taiwan, ROC.
Department of Civil Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641114, India.
J Environ Manage. 2020 May 1;261:110234. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110234. Epub 2020 Mar 2.
Electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) became an integral part of daily life and had an immense influence on the economy. The skyrocketing demand, progressive technologies, and high dependency resulted in inconceivable utilization of EEE. However, these scientific expansions shortened the life span of EEE, thereby generating massive volumes of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). On a global perspective, Oceania generates a per capita of 17.3 kg/inh (inhabitants), followed by Europe 16.6 kg/inh, America 11.6 kg/inh, Asia 4.2 kg/inh and the least contribution by Africa 1.9 kg/inh. As known, EEE comprises complex metallic and non-metallic fractions causing severe discrepancies within the ecosystem, endangering the living species; if not dealt with properly. Thus, there is a pressing need of immediate addressal on the effective e-waste management strategies both from developed and developing countries. On the spin side, the separation of the precious fractions from the EEE on the end-of-life may be a twin dimensional strategy of economic addition, and plummeting the alarming level threats to ecology. However, these menaces are well tackled by the developed countries to some extent by the stringent law enactments, establishing proper recycling facilities, and trading to the underdeveloped and developing nations. But, the majority of the developing and under developed nations lacks the statutes, gaps in policy making, socio-economic-cultural barriers, technology, and the appropriate treatment facilities. In addition, the review identified ten major shortfalls (10L's) refraining the effective e-waste management, especially in the developing and under developed nations. Among which, integration of the formal and informal sectors, mandated network registry, stringent law enforcements, regulated transboundary movements, manufacturers responsibility, consumer awareness and improved eco designs, investing on effective recycling facilities, and improved disposal facilities holds the key. Further, replacing the traditional and conventional procedures with the futuristic and eco-friendly approaches such as chelation, inducing ionic liquids, integrated processes or hybrid technologies, micro factories, photo catalysis, and green adsorption will substantially harness the current barriers of the e-waste management. Finally, the present review will be a thorough glancing for the future research of e-waste management of meso-micro-macro scales.
电子和电气设备 (EEE) 已成为日常生活不可或缺的一部分，对经济产生了巨大影响。需求的猛增、技术的进步和高度的依赖性导致 EEE 的使用量惊人。然而，这些科学进步缩短了 EEE 的寿命，从而产生了大量的电子和电气废物 (WEEE)。从全球范围来看，大洋洲人均产生 17.3 公斤/人，欧洲为 16.6 公斤/人，美洲为 11.6 公斤/人，亚洲为 4.2 公斤/人，非洲产生的废物最少，人均 1.9 公斤/人。众所周知，EEE 由复杂的金属和非金属成分组成，这在生态系统中造成了严重的差异，危及生物多样性；如果处理不当。因此，无论是发达国家还是发展中国家，都迫切需要立即采取有效的电子废物管理策略。另一方面，在生命周期结束时从 EEE 中分离出宝贵的成分可能是一种经济附加的双重策略，同时降低了对生态系统的惊人威胁水平。然而，这些威胁在一定程度上已被发达国家通过严格的法律制定、建立适当的回收设施以及向欠发达国家和发展中国家进行贸易来解决。但是，大多数发展中国家和欠发达国家缺乏法规、政策制定方面的差距、社会经济文化障碍、技术和适当的处理设施。此外，该综述确定了十个主要的不足之处（10L's），这些不足之处阻碍了电子废物的有效管理，尤其是在发展中国家和欠发达国家。其中，将正规和非正规部门整合、强制建立网络登记、严格执法、规范越境转移、制造商责任、消费者意识和改进生态设计、投资于有效的回收设施以及改进处置设施是关键。此外，用螯合作用、诱导离子液体、综合工艺或混合技术、微型工厂、光催化和绿色吸附等未来环保方法替代传统和常规方法，将大大克服电子废物管理的当前障碍。最后，本综述将为未来中观-微观-宏观尺度的电子废物管理研究提供全面的参考。
