My Science School

According to a report by Counterpoint, smartphones contribute to 12% of global e-waste. Smartphone production alone contributes 80-90% of carbon emissions by the device. Devices containing lithium-ion batteries (mostly smartphones) pose a significant risk to the environment.

A mobile phone has over 60 different metals, including rare earth metals that can contaminate soil and water if not disposed properly. Demand for mobile phones has increased mining activities for these metals, which adversely impact the environment at the extraction stage itself. They are listed as 'endangered metals', as they are available in limited quantities. Counterpoint estimated that about 6-7 kgs of  high-grade gold ore are mined to make a single mobile phone.

India, the U.S., the U.K., China and Japan, are the highest e-waste generating nations. During the 2020-2030 decade, 40% more e-waste will be generated; the corresponding global e-waste recycling rate will be only 20%.

Some countries have been working towards reducing e-waste. Japan's first-of-its-kind initiative recycled e-waste to produce medals for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The U.K.'s Right to Repair legislation allows consumers to repair their electronic devices and requires manufacturers to supply the necessary parts. France's Repairability Index mandates a clear display of information on the repairability of electronics to encourage consumers to choose repairable products.

Picture Credit : Google 

Germany is the recycling champion of the world. 70% of all waste produced is recycled, the most in the world. Manufacturers and retailers have to pay for a Green Dot on products: the more packaging there is, the higher the fee. This has led to less paper, thinner glass and less metal being used, creating less waste to be recycled. The result: 1 million tons less waste than normal every year.

Globally, about 1.3 billion tons of trash is generated per year. In Europe, the amount of plastic waste has increased 13% in the last decade and in Germany alone, 3 million tons of plastic packaging waste is produced annually; according to official statistics, 48.8% of this plastic waste is recycled.

A lot of waste that ends up in sorting facilities is incorrectly collected; in Germany, up to 50% of general rubbish ends up in bins designated for plastic, including waste that needs to be separated from plastics. Automated facilities are also unable to sort food containers made from different types of plastics, meaning that a lot of mixed plastic packaging ends up being discarded. This waste then ends up in landfills or incineration sites, yet it is counted as being recycled.

Meanwhile, the Bundestag and Bundesrat- Germany’s lower and upper houses of parliament- passed legislation in early July that would phase out coal use in the country by 2038 as part of a road map to reduce carbon emissions, after agreeing on the plan in January. The new plan also legislates the closure of eight brown-coal operations by 2022 as the number of jobs in renewable energy increases. 

If the planet continues producing and discarding as much plastic as it does now, by 2050, the plastic industry would represent 20% of all crude oil production, consuming 15% of the global annual carbon budget. Germany banning single-use plastic is a small step in reducing our reliance on fossil fuel, but an important one nonetheless. 

Picture Credit : Google