What metals are recycled?
מתכת | שימוש נפוץ באלקטרוניקה | שיעור השבה ממוצע | תכולה ממוצעת בפסולת אלקטרונית |
|---|---|---|---|
מתכות נדירות | מגנטים (נאודימיום), סוללות ליתיום | 10%-5% | ~0.5% |
אבץ (Zn) | סוללות, סגסוגות | 80%-70% | ~3% |
אינדי ום (In) | מסכי מגע, דיודות פולטות אור (LED) | 60%-50% | 0.002%-0.0001% |
עופרת (Pb) | סוללות, ציפויי מגן מפני קרינה | 85%-75% | ~6% |
ניקל (Ni) | סוללות נטענות, רכיבי סגסוגת | 90%-85% | ~2% |
בדיל (Sn) | הלחמות, ציפויי מגן | 85%-80% | ~5% |
פלטינה (Pt) | רכיבי חישה, אלקטרודות | 95%-90% | 0.01%-0.001% |
פלדיום (Pd) | רכיבי SMD, קטליזטורים, שבבים | 97%-93% | 0.02%-0.005% |
כסף (Ag) | סוללות, רכיבי תאורה, מוליכים | 95%-90% | 0.3%-0.1% |
זהב (Au) | חיבורים, רכיבי מיקרו-אלקטרוניקה | 98%-95% | 0.03%-0.01% |
נחושת (Cu) | כבלים, לוחות מעגלים מודפסים, סלילים | 95%-90% | ~20% |
Why is electronic waste considered hazardous waste?
Electronic waste is considered hazardous waste because it contains heavy metals and toxic substances (such as lead, mercury, and cadmium) that can contaminate soil and water and endanger human health and the environment.
Pirated recycling of electronic waste
Pirated recycling of e-waste is dangerous because it is carried out without standards, supervision, and appropriate equipment — which causes direct exposure to toxic substances, air/soil/water pollution, and a serious health risk to workers and the public.
Open burning of cables and cards releases dioxins and toxic smoke.
Using acids to extract gold without a filtration system pollutes groundwater.
Uncontrolled disassembly of lithium batteries can cause fires and explosions.
Workers without protection are exposed to lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium.
Long-term environmental damage is caused, the cost of which is much higher than the immediate profit.
Beyond health and the environment, there is also a criminal risk, fines, and license revocation.
Health hazards to workers and communities
Exposure to toxic chemicals
Lead and mercury: cause nerve damage, impaired cognitive development in children, and kidney failure.
Dioxins and furans: emitted from burning plastic and damage the immune system, increasing the risk of cancer.
Beryllium and cadmium: cause chronic lung disease and lung cancer.
Hazardous waste processing methods
Burning cables: to obtain copper, releases toxic smoke containing heavy metals and sulfuric acid.
Manual disassembly of batteries: Exposure to acids and metals such as lithium or nickel, which cause burns and corrosion of the skin.
Acid washing of chips: Using nitric acid or cyanide without protective equipment, leading to poisoning and contamination of water sources.
Risks for children
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In areas like Agbogbalushi (Ghana) or Delhi (India), children are involved in dismantling e-waste, with morbidity rates 2-3 times higher in respiratory and digestive diseases.
Irreversible environmental damage
Soil and water pollution
Toxins seep into the soil and groundwater, harming agriculture and the food chain. For example, in Guiyang (China), lead concentrations in the soil are 100 times higher than permitted.
Streams polluted with toxic substances become unfit for drinking or irrigation.
Air pollution
Burning waste emits toxic particles (PM2.5) and gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to the climate crisis and lung disease.
Plastic waste accumulation
Unrecycled plastic (about 30% of electronic waste) is burned or thrown into the environment, and breaks down into microplastics that are toxic to animals and plants.
Economic and social risks
A built-in cycle of poverty
Workers at pirate facilities earn $1-5 a day, with no medical insurance or legal protection.
Entire communities depend on a toxic waste economy, with no employment alternatives.
International illegal trade
Electronic waste is labeled as "used equipment" and offered to developing countries through ports such as Mombasa (Kenya) or Lagos (Nigeria).
According to an INTERPOL report, approximately 7.4 million tons of electronic waste were illegally transported in 2023.
Damage to global resources
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Inefficient recycling wastes billions worth of precious metals, increasing the demand for destructive mining.
Comparison between pirated and formal recycling
מיחזור מפוקח | מיחזור פיראטי | פרמטר |
|---|---|---|
סילוק בטוח של שאריות רעילות | השלכה לטבע או מזבלות | טיפול בפסולת |
כפפות, מסכות, בידוד אזורים מסוכנים | ללא ציוד מגן, חשיפה ישירה לרעלים | הגנה על עובדים |
עד 95% ממתכות (בחברות כמו Umicore) | פחות מ-20% ממתכות יקרות | השבה חומרים |
תנורי התכה מבוקרים, מערכות טיהור גזים | שריפה פתוחה, שטיפה בחומצות ללא סינון | טיפול בכימיקלים |