E-waste is a growing menace in Bangladesh

There has been a phenomenal increase in e-waste in the past few decades in Bangladesh. Increased usage of mobile phones, electronic household appliances, office equipment and ship-breaking yards have mainly added to this problem. Bangladesh produces about three million metric tonnes (MMT) of e-waste, including at ship-breaking yards, each year (Roy et al, 2022).

Electrical and electronic devices contain heavy metals like mercury, lead, nickel, cadmium, barium, zinc, flame retardants etc. The adverse effects of these heavy metals on human health and the environment are enormous.

Given the size of the country's population and the growth of e-waste, Bangladesh faces a huge challenge, especially since there is not enough infrastructure available for the public to dispose of e-waste. 

These days, waste is no longer regarded as waste. It can be an extra source of revenue if you can make use of unwanted materials. Strange as it may sound, countries that have managed to establish efficient waste management and recycling systems are earning a substantial amount of money by providing complete recycling and resource management services to the local communities, effectively creating new jobs, bettering the quality of the environment and improving public health.

E-waste management can be more attractive compared to general waste as it has considerable economic merit. According to Straits Research, the global e-waste management market had a revenue holding of USD 56.56 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 189.8 billion by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CARG) of 14.4% during the forecast period (2022-2030).

Critical raw materials such as gold, silver, nickel, copper and palladium can be taken out, reused or recycled. Mobile phones may have manganese, lithium, tungsten and other materials which are also valuable. A silvery-white metal, indium, is used in touchscreens and solar panels. Also, tantalum, a shiny silvery metal that is highly corrosion resistant, is used in micro-capacitors for a range of applications, from mobile phones to wind turbines. Losing these critical raw materials and aggravating resource scarcity may not be in anyone's best interest.

In 2021, the Department of Environment (DoE) in Bangladesh published Hazardous Waste (e-waste) Management Rules under the Environmental Protection Act, 1995. The rule covers many products related to IT and communication equipment, home appliances, monitoring and control equipment, medical equipment and automatic machines. It establishes obligations on various parties, from manufacturers, assemblers, collectors, sellers and consumers, to prevent the risks posed by e-waste. 

This rule also restricts the limits of 10 hazardous substances which are covered by the EU RoHS Directive. The EU RoHS Directive has similar aims, restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, which was adopted in 2003 by the EU countries.

The violation of the main provisions of the Hazardous Waste (e-waste) Management Rules entails imprisonment for a maximum period of two years or a fine up to BDT 2,00,000 or both for offenders. Repeat offenders may face imprisonment ranging from two to ten years, or a fine ranging from BDT 2,00,000 to BDT 1,000,000, or both. 

It is a new regulation which was recently adopted in Bangladesh and it is certainly a step in the right direction. But having a national regulation is not enough for the approach needed to mitigate the consequences of such excessive e-waste. A holistic approach on the ground is equally needed to fulfil the requirements.

A significant amount of e-waste is uncontrolled and disposed of incorrectly, subsequently, it ends up in landfills. This sector is dominated by the informal recycling industries. People who live in big cities are generally unaware of proper disposal routes for their e-waste. Many computers and mobile phones are disposed of in litter bins, and open dumping in and fills is common practice. 

To start with, all the informal recycling facilities should be formally recognised, provided with financial incentives and operated under strict occupational health and safety and environmental regulations. It will help to create a culture of health, safety and environmental commitments. 

The public should be able to discard their e-waste at the local recycling facilities, hence more recycling centres should be built. Finally, licensed waste disposal companies should take discarded electrical equipment from recycling centres to reprocessing plants where all the components can be taken out to reuse and recycle, empowering the circular economy.

But this is easier said than done. In countries like the United Kingdom where waste management and recycling systems are highly advanced, households still throw away 1,55,000 tonnes of waste electricals in general household rubbish bins each year - according to research recently carried out for Material Focus.

Apart from financial difficulties, segregation problems and lack of infrastructure facilities, the crux of the issue is to raise public awareness, to change people's behaviour and practices. Changing the mindset, internal culture and behaviour is difficult, and a genuine commitment across the public is required at all levels and in all sectors, for meaningful changes to occur. 

Finally, we rarely think about where all our rubbish goes when we throw it. This simple knowledge will change our attitudes on proper rubbish disposal immensely and help raise awareness of the environmental issues we face. E-waste management systems in Bangladesh are still in their nascent stage and are expected to grow in the future. Bangladesh should not miss out on the opportunities to develop and expand its existing

sector.