Electronic waste (e-waste) refers to any discarded electronic equipment that is marketable for recycling, reuse and materials recovery. This waste contains precious metals like gold, silver, cadmium and mercury, which are both valuable and hazardous. The e-waste recycling process is associated with substantial environmental pollution and numerous human illnesses. Worldwide, 20 to 50 million metric tons are disposed of every year, and e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in America.

This project team researched multidisciplinary viewpoints of e-waste recycling both in the United States and abroad. Building on the work of the 2019-2020 team, this team conducted a literature review on the effects of e-waste recycling in global communities, maternal and child e-waste exposure, health outcomes and associated structural factors within under-studied populations. Since maternal/child health outcomes and concentrations of e-waste contaminants has been well-characterized in China, the literature review aims to assess what is currently known about maternal/child e-waste exposure in developing nations outside of China, related health outcomes and associated structural factors. It also identifies gaps in the literature for future original research on characterizing maternal/child e-waste exposures and associated health outcomes.

Team members also developed a website with the purpose of providing e-waste information and actionable items for students at Duke and the surrounding Durham community. The website provides: 1) an overview of e-waste and its associated global challenges; 2) locations for personal e-waste recycling; and 3) an overview of national and global policy, including ways to get involved with this discussion.  

Timing

Summer 2020 – Spring 2021

Team Outputs

E-waste website

Literature review

See earlier related team, The Global Impacts of E-waste Exposure and E-waste Recycling Policy on Maternal and Fetal Health (2019-2020).

Image: E-Waste Recycling, by Alex Proimos, licensed under CC BY 2.0