Important International Agreements on E-Waste Management
1. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) (73/78/97):
With the 6annexes, MARPOL states about the oil pollution from the ships, noxious liquid substances, and other harmful substances that are being carried out by the seaway lead to air and water pollution. MARPOL has therefore contributed in order to decrease the pollution caused by international shipping and it applies to 99% of the merchants around the world.
2. Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1989):
The aim of the Basel Convention is to protect the health and environment from the harmful effects of hazardous waste. The key elements of the Basel Convention consist of proper sound management, proper disposal of waste, and reducing the harmful effects on human health and environmental conditions.
3. Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances (1989):
Montreal Protocol is an international treaty, where the main aim is to protect the depletion of ozone layer due to the emission of toxic substances such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons.
4. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Council Decision Waste Agreement (1992):
The Council Decision Waste Agreement aims to control and reduce the waste that is being exported for the purpose of any other material recovery. In order to reduce the harmful effects caused by such transboundary movement of hazardous waste this initiative was undertaken.
5. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1994):
In order to convert from toxic generated by e-waste to green initiatives, UNFCCC has always been actively participating. In this initiative, waste pickers from various parts of the country are being trained about the proper collection of electronic waste products such as computers, batteries, and mobile phones for their proper recycling and disposal.
E-Waste: Causes and Effects on Environment
E-waste or Electronic pollution is a growing environmental issue as the rapid advancement of technology has led to a significant increase in the production of various electronic devices. Pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the environment that causes an adverse effect and as a result, degrades the quality of the environment. Improper disposal of E-waste can lead to harmful effects on Human health and the overall environment.