CPE Essay: E-waste and global pollution

Picture credit: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry-war-on-e-waste-44-7-million-mt-e-waste-generated-in-2016-says-report-1200134/


Task: Summarise the key points of the two input texts and evaluate them adding your ideas.

It has been estimated that global pollution is growing at an exponential speed as technological advancements yield more and more products to the market. While measures are being taken to alleviate the ecological impact of the pollution crisis, they seem to fail to cope with the rate at which garbage, including e-waste, is discarded, becoming an increasingly alarming issue.

It is true that some authorities and citizens are doing their fair share to reduce pollution. By introducing effective recycling and garbage disposal schemes, they are repurpose or upcycle old stuff, making our world a cleaner place. But as more products are consumed, and more hazardous waste discarded, these efforts seem far not enough to deal with the ecological impact pollution is causing.

There is a particular concern regarding the accelerated rate of discarding electronic devices. Several reasons underpin this tendency. First of all, no sooner do consumers acquire an electronic device than a revamped iteration is launched soon after, rendering the old gadget a thing of the past. Reluctant to fall behind the trends, many individuals feel urged to acquire the new model. As if this is not enough, clever advertising lures people into replacing their old gadgets with new ones right here and right now, making them discard their old devices.

Needless to say, the accumulation of e-waste is becoming unmanageable, posing a hazard to humans and the environment.  According to one study, most e-waste is dumped in landfills, buried or sent to third-world countries, where it is further processed in primitive manual methods, exposing people to physical injuries and not only. Electronic devices contain radioactive chemicals and heavy metals that, if inhaled, can lead to serious health ailments in humans. Besides, those hazardous components can contaminate soil, water, and all living beings that feed upon them.

It follows that the rapid growth of e-waste raises ecological and health concerns as more and more electronic products are churned into the market. Although many people are exerting efforts to make our environment a cleaner place, at least to some extent, I believe drastic measures should be taken to reduce global pollution.


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