Recently, an article published by the Eco-Management Consulting Group LLC reported that electronic waste generates 70% of the pollution of heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, bromine, selenium, etc..) in garbage dumps or landfills, and only in 2010 were dropped 120,000 tons of electronic waste. Argentina still has no solutions of scale. What can be done to address this problem? What is the role of consumers, businesses and government in this situation? We share with you the full story:


Electronic waste generates 70% of the pollution by heavy metals in landfills and dumps
Escrap / Eco-Management Group LLC - Associate Director

Gustavo Fernandez Protomastro

Nobody wants a landfill or a landfill near your home. The current waste disposal system known as CEAMSE has its days numbered, and no municipality accepts any fill to be installed close to their neighbors. There is a fear justified because the Argentine household waste we throw away batteries, mercury lamps and electronic waste all kinds of heavy metals. Moreover, for the 2010 discard about 120,000 tons, about 3 kg / capita / year.

In 2010 it sold a million or LCD TV, about 12 million cell phones, 1.2 million printing systems and about 2.65 million computers between PC, netbook and notebook computers. To this we must add several million more from refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, audio / video, household appliances, washing machines, alarm systems, toys, vending machines, medical equipment, automotive electronics, etc..

"The advanced electrical and electronic scrap polluting soils, water bodies, ecosystems, and most importantly, ourselves. Since the low-energy light bulbs with mercury to the cell phone batteries with cadmium or lead and phosphorus monitors, electronic waste is a real problem of the XXI century. We became e, at work or home office, but we do not assume responsibility for post consumer appliances and applications that make life easier, "says biologist Gustavo Protomastro of eco-management consultant.

In a recent study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a university, it was determined that the electronic waste generates 70% of the pollution of heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, bromine, selenium, etc..) In landfills or landfills. But also, every time we bury a refrigerator or a computer, we are losing non-renewable mineral resources. "Iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, precious metals or rare earth metals, oil and plastic are wasted as complicating the lives of future generations, contaminating to the present generations and ecosystems," he added Protomastro.

The problem has a solution and electronic waste can be transformed into inputs of new industrial processes. But for this:

a) Consumers should segregate and return e-waste producing companies or municipalities at the end of its life cycle;

b) Marks, producers or importers of electronic devices must receive, recycle or dispose of electronic waste, assuming the logistics and costs of treating everything that can not be recycled;

c) The State should encourage recycling companies (soft loans, clear legal rules, technology transfer) and provide municipal collection;

As an indicator of developments in IT consumer electronics, presents the evolution of the Year 2008 and 2009 imports in units and $ S FOB. equipment and parts for domestic production.