Managing electronic waste

The amount of electronic waste has been increasing alarmingly in Bangladesh for the past few years. According to a recent study, 600,000 tonnes of e-waste were said to have been generated across the country in 2020 and experts say that the amount grows by 20 per cent every year. What is even more worrying is that only 3.0 per cent of the waste is recycled and the rest is dumped into landfills or water bodies.

Electronic waste often contains highly toxic chemical components that can degrade soil quality, contaminate groundwater and pollute air. The pollution with toxic chemicals from such waste can have adverse effects on agriculture and fish farming and can enter human body through the food chain and drinking water. This may put public health in jeopardy and cause irreparable damage to the environment. So, we urge the authorities concerned to make a proper management of electronic waste a priority before it is too late.

Badsha Faysal

Jurain, Dhaka

[email protected]