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The Negative Effects of E-Waste on the Environment

Technology is everywhere and has become an essential part of our everyday lives. Although electronics can make your life easier, they don’t last forever. You’ve probably had countless cell phones and computers in your lifetime, but they aren’t easy to dispose of. You should never put them with your other garbage. Learn why by finding out about the negative effects of e-waste on the environment.

It Worsens Air Pollution

When you improperly dispose of electronics, you’re hurting the environment more than you may think. Just as cars and other vehicles release harmful toxins and chemicals into the air, e-waste can do the exact same thing. Believe it or not, melting, shredding, or burning electronic devices releases heavy metal particles into the air, which can travel relatively far and harm people and animals.

It Contaminates Soil and Water

By putting e-waste into the landfill with your other trash, heavy metals and other toxins can seep into the soil and contaminate the groundwater and crops in the surrounding area. Because plants and crops rely on healthy soil conditions to grow and thrive, they may die or become sick due to heavy metal contamination. This may not seem like a big deal, but it directly affects wildlife and humans that eat those plants.

It Can Harm Wildlife

Soil contamination often leads to water contamination, which is detrimental to wildlife health and ecosystem stability. After heavy metals and other toxins reach ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes, clean drinking water can be extremely difficult to find. Because land and marine animals need clean water sources to survive, they suffer if their water becomes contaminated.

It’s Dangerous to Human Health

Breathing in heavy metal particles or drinking contaminated water is incredibly dangerous to human health. In fact, exposure to e-waste toxins can cause issues within the brain, kidneys, heart, liver, etc. It may also result in ailments in newborns. You may think improper disposal won’t impact you directly, but it can negatively affect your family’s overall health.

Now that you know the negative effects of e-waste on the environment, you should look at the types of e-waste you should recycle. Always stop before you carelessly throw away electronics. Peoper electronic disposal is the least you can do to keep the world a safe place for humans and wildlife.

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Written by Logan Voss

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