Domestic, electronic and nuclear waste
Food scraps and spoiled food thrown away while preparing meals, the plastic and polythene brought home for various needs, discarded clothes, glass and porcelain, garden refuse and human excreta are the main kinds of domestic waste. Domestic waste is a group of wastes added to the environment all the time.
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Electronic waste (e-waste)
Used electrical and electronic equipment that has been permanently removed from reuse or resale, thrown away or taken off the market is e-waste. As a harmful result of modern technology, it is now being added to the environment fast.
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| Substance | Found in |
|---|---|
| Lead | Batteries, circuit boards, the cathode-ray tubes of TVs and computers |
| Mercury | Thermometers, fluorescent lamps, sensors |
| Cadmium | Batteries, mobile phones |
| Beryllium | Computers, telephones, automatic electronic equipment |
| Arsenic | Light-emitting diodes |
| Polyvinyl chloride | Computer cases, cable insulation |
Nuclear waste
Radioactive and highly polluting materials discarded from nuclear fuel plants, nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons factories are nuclear waste. The main nuclear fuels are uranium and plutonium. Because the radioactivity of nuclear waste can last for thousands of years, it is sealed in thick containers of concrete or metal and stored underground or in the deep sea.
Why e-waste needs special handling
An old phone looks harmless, but it holds several of the heavy metals of the last skill. In a rubbish dump rain slowly leaches them into the soil and groundwater; burned in the open to recover copper, it releases poisonous fumes. The same devices also contain valuable metals — gold, silver and copper — so collected properly, e-waste is a resource.
Three growing waste streams
Domestic waste is constant; e-waste carries lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium and arsenic; nuclear waste stays radioactive for thousands of years.