IndexFactors of the Rise of E-WasteMeasures to Reduce the Negative Consequences of E-Waste ConclusionReferencesIn recent years it has become a trend that everyone owns a couple of different electronic devices. Smartphones, tablets and laptops are just some of the most popular devices that people use, buying new ones and discarding old ones every day. When old electronic devices are disposed of, they become electronic waste, also known as e-waste, which is a topic of this essay. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayE-waste is a term that refers to all used electronic devices that are discarded and destined for reuse, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal. According to research, 48.5 million tons of e-waste were generated in 2018 and only 20% was treated appropriately. This means that 80% of the annual e-waste generation, which amounts to almost 40 million tonnes, “ends up in landfill, or is disposed of by informal workers in poor conditions” (WEF). The main problem is that these electronic devices almost always contain substances that are dangerous to human health and the environment. Most of these substances contain chemical elements such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium, and if e-waste is not handled properly, these substances can easily reach both people and the environment (Department of Toxic Substances Control). This usually happens in landfills where untrained workers handle e-waste, often unaware of how harmful the materials they are dealing with can be. When their unprotected skin comes into contact with various dangerous chemicals, numerous health problems can occur. Some of these problems are kidney damage, muscle weakness, reproductive problems, immune system damage, etc. (Ranganathan). In addition to the health problems caused directly by the harmful materials present in electronic waste, people's health is endangered by different types of environmental problems caused by those same materials. Improperly managed e-waste causes soil and water dissolution as hazardous materials reach soil and underground waterways. In this way, these materials reach thousands of people through the water they drink and the food they eat. Not even the air is free from pollution because it is common practice for scavengers to burn old electronics in unprotected landfills to get at materials like copper (Ahmed). These are just some of the examples where e-waste can harm people and the environment if handled unprofessionally and unconsciously. Drivers of the Rise of E-Waste An important question to ask is what are the causes of the rapid increase in e-waste generation in recent years? A good starting point and a first common hypothesis could be consumers of electronic devices and their habits. It is true that people are spoiled by manufacturers and almost every year they expect a new phone or other type of electronic device. When their device is broken or simply doesn't work as well as it used to, the consumer's first choice is to discard it without even attempting to repair it and buy a new one. Even when the old device is brought in for service, the consumer is more likely to be offered to purchase a new device rather thanfix the broken one. However, many argue that electronic device manufacturers are largely responsible for the e-waste problem. Anyone who has owned the same device for a longer period of time knows the feeling of experiencing small issues with their device as time goes by. The most common problems people encounter are slow running of their devices and incompatibility of new software with older devices. With the creation and release of new software every day, the need for newer devices emerges among users because without them people would not be able to function.able to use all the new features offered by the software. This problem is closely linked to a policy known as planned obsolescence. This is a commonly used strategy in industrial design and economics where goods are intentionally produced “with an uneconomically short useful life so that customers must make repeat purchases” (Bulow). Although this term was introduced in the 20th century, it seems that it has never been as present in the industry as it is today, especially in the technology sector. Evidence that big manufacturers use this strategy emerged in 2018, when Italy's antitrust regulator showed that Apple and Samsung were using software updates to intentionally slow down older phones. These two brands were both fined 5 million euros (Balmer). Measures to reduce the negative consequences of e-waste Being aware of the negative consequences of e-waste and other hazardous waste, the United Nations has developed a treaty with the aim of reducing the potential risks. The Basel Convention, as this treaty is commonly known, has the support of 186 parties around the world. Among the other obligations and conditions listed in the agreement, two are relevant to the topic of electronic waste. The first bans the export of e-waste to developing countries, thus protecting poor countries around the world from the negative impact of importing e-waste. The second significant measure is designed to put pressure on manufacturers to invest more in recycling, which significantly reduces the risk of e-waste harming people and the environment. The United States, being the world's second largest producer behind China, is the only developed country that has not ratified the Basel Convention. In addition to this, it does not have any national law addressing the issue of e-waste and the burden of e-waste management falls on the shoulders of states. As Larmer stated in his 2018 article, “fifteen states still do not have e-waste legislation in place” (Larmer). This is evidence of how the United States as a country is unaware of and, intentionally or unintentionally, unwilling to address this global problem. Instead, most e-waste produced in the United States is shipped to developing countries in Asia. On the other hand, European Union countries have “some of the strictest e-waste law enforcement systems in the world” (Larmer). Such laws have proven effective because recycling rates in the European Union, at 35%, are much higher than those in the United States. Conclusion In conclusion, the exponential growth of electronic devices in recent years has led to a corresponding increase in electronic waste (e-waste), which represents an urgent challenge for the environment and health. E-waste includes discarded electronic devices that are often laden with hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury,, 408(2), 183-191.