Mitigating potential public health risks and challenges from hazardous materials contained in electronic waste items in a developing country setting

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Targets 12.4 and 3.9 aim to reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and to achieve environmentally friendly management of chemical and wastes. Electronic wastes, which contain hazardous chemicals, are rapidly generated in poor countries due to demand for affordable near-end-of-life internet-enabled gadgets that soon wear out and are improperly disposed due to ignorance, throw-away mentality and dearth of waste management infrastructure. This study identified hazardous chemicals contained in significant quantities in e-waste items, described their public health challenges and suggested mitigation measures. Results showed that mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, lead and beryllium oxide were hazardous chemicals contained in significant quantities in e-waste items. The study recommended the formulation of appropriate environmental health education technology policy (AEHETP) to guide stakeholders to design education, preventive, therapeutic and decontamination plans for awareness creation and raising to address the toxic effects of e-waste items on users in poor countries.

Letter to the editor: Comments on “Mitigating potential public health risks and challenges from hazardous materials contained in electronic waste items in a developing country setting”

“…The article provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental and health impacts of electronic waste (e-waste) containing hazardous chemicals such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, lead and beryllium oxide. [ 1 ] In addition, the article makes some recommendations for policy changes and mitigation strategies to deal with the issue of electronic waste in developing countries. I want to express my gratitude to the authors for their efforts to bring attention to this critical matter and to suggest potential solutions that could help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets that are related to the management of hazardous chemicals and waste.…”

“…The article also suggests the formulation of appropriate environmental health education technology policy (AEHETP) to guide stakeholders in designing education, preventive, therapeutic and decontamination plans, but does not explain what such a policy would entail or how it would be implemented and evaluated. [ 1 ] The article might have been able to persuade the reader more and provide more useful information if it had included additional information and references that were more concrete and pertinent.…”