FEATURES
The reality of
E-Waste T Karla Lee and Soleil Dam
he effects of our world’s growing reliance on technology go far beyond the production of devices. As more electronics are being manufactured, more electronic waste (e-waste) comes as a result. E-waste is supposedly recycled at centers where they are taken apart and reused to make new electronics. However, Aran O’Sullivan, a senior at Carlmont and Co-President of Green Team, says otherwise. “E-waste is generated from previously used electronics that are no longer being used and are just discarded. This can lead to a lot of issues like toxic chemicals from waste products leaching into local water systems or local environments,” O’Sullivan said. New devices like LCD TVs are made up of toxic pollutant materials which harm the environment, for example poisonous substances entering the food chain, according to the United States Geological Survey, a U.S. scientific government agency. “LCD screens have long been popular, particularly plasma screens. They’re great and have a tremendous resolution, and everybody loves them. However, the LED screens are backlit by fluorescent light tubes, which contain white powder known as mercury,” said Russ Caswell, General Manager for e-Recycling of California. If exposed to mercury, especially when inhaled, it can cause chronic conditions to the body, such as lung or brain damage. Removing the fluorescent lights is also a problem, as it requires caution. “When we dismantle a flat-screen TV, we have to remove all those little fluorescent bulbs. Because they’re about the diameter of a piece of spaghetti, we have to carefully remove them, try not to break them, and then ship them to a company in Pennsylvania where they remove the mercury powder,” Caswell said.
32 HIGHLANDER ISSUE II