Title: Why is Electronic Waste Hazardous? - Lifespan Technology
Headings: Why is Electronic Waste Hazardous?
Why is Electronic Waste Hazardous?
Lead
Mercury
Dioxins
Other chemicals

Content: Ingesting dioxins results in impaired immune system function, impaired growth, hampered development, and major birth defects. This is why it is so important that electronic waste not be sent overseas where communities burn e-waste or use acid baths to try to remove precious metals. The people, and their environment, are exposed directly to these chemicals. Brominated flame retardants, often used in circuit boards, turn into dioxins when burnt, which is a primary reason why circuit board manufacturers are trying to substitute their use with something safer. One issue is that the brominated flame retardants have a tendency to evaporate out of the plastic of the boards and accumulate in indoor dust. Other chemicals
Those are just a handful of nasty substances found in many common electronics. Other troubling chemicals that are also found include cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, PCBs, and selenium. It is important to keep these hazardous substances properly contained and managed so they do not pose any threat to communities and the workers involved in the disposition of the electronics. Also, most of these substances can be reused if processed properly. Certifications in the electronics recycling industry such as e-Stewards and R2/RIOS have numerous requirements for health and safety controls in the workplace, along with monitoring and maintaining employee health.