The Harmful Effects of E-Waste

 The flow of e-waste primarily leads to improper disposal in landfills and incinerators, with a small portion being formally recycled. Significant amounts are shipped to developing countries, where informal and hazardous recycling methods contaminate the environment and pose health risks. Proper recycling involves collection, disassembly, removal of hazardous materials, and processing of valuable materials like metals, plastics, and glass to be reintroduced into the manufacturing cycle. 

• The majority of e-waste is improperly disposed of: Roughly 83% of e-waste goes to landfills or is incinerated, leading to soil, water, and air contamination from toxic substances like lead and mercury.
• Informal and illegal trade: Around 75-80% of e-waste is shipped to countries in Africa and Asia, often under the guise of being donated or resold, where it is processed through unsafe informal methods.
• Uncertain fates: A large portion of e-waste is simply stored in households or its fate is uncertain, meaning it's not tracked in formal systems. 

The formal recycling process should be as follows:

• Collection: E-waste is gathered from individuals and businesses.
• Disassembly: Devices are taken apart to separate components.
• Hazardous material removal: Toxic substances are safely removed and handled separately.
• Processing and refinement: Materials are shredded and separated into categories such as metals, plastics, and glass.
• Re-introduction: The refined materials are then ready to be reintroduced into new manufacturing processes. 

The flow of e-waste is extremely hierarchical, in that it is never developed countries that are receiving the waste, but it is the developed countries that sned out the e-waste to be dumped and accepted into underdeveloped countries, with the people in these countries consequently being negatively affected by the waste, both monetarily and physically.