Electronic Waste in Bangladesh: Its Present Statutes, and Negative Impacts on Environment and Human Health

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

Department of Law, Daffodil International University, P. O. Box 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Technology has made the life of Bangladeshi people very flexible with new inventions. In most cases, here the people depend on these technological devices. These devices, along with various facilities, have also invited a series of problems mostly due to the lack of proper management. The Bangladeshi citizens often leave electronic devices that went bad or became unusable, in landfills, rivers, canals, and open spaces. As these devices possess a variety of toxic substances, dumping huge amounts of electronic waste can pollute the environment and threaten human health. Around 2.7 million metric tons of e-waste are generated each year in Bangladesh. Only 20-30% of this waste is recycled while the rest amount is released in landfills, rivers, canals, and open spaces posing a serious threat to the health and environment. Bangladesh has experienced rapid advancement in the technological sectors over the years. Therefore, it is a must to take steps necessary for avoiding the future jeopardized situation because of e-waste. The present e-waste management in Bangladesh experiences a number of drawbacks such as challenges in incentivization, unhygienic conditions of informal recycling, insufficient law and policy, less awareness, and lack of enthusiasm on part of the corporate to address the critical issues. In spite of the alarming levels of e-pollution in the country, the concerned authorities are yet to take any effective step or formulate any legislation to prevent the existing e-pollution. Moreover, the prevailing environmental laws are not adequate to address the issue and its application is still largely absent.

Keywords


Alam, M. and Bahauddin, K.M. (2015). Electronic Waste in Bangladesh: Evaluating the Situation, Legislation and Policy and Way Forward With Strategy and Approach. Environ. Dev. Sustain., 9(1); 81-101.
Ahmed, F.R.S. (2011). E-waste management scenario in Bangladesh. In: WEEE/E-waste
management workshop on take-back system, pp. 13–15.
Awasthi, A.K. and Li, J. (2017). Management of electrical and electronic waste: a comparative evaluation of China and India. Renew Sust. Energ. Rev., 76(1); 434–447.
Babu, B.R., Parande, A.K., and Basha. C.A. (2007). Electrical and electronic waste: a global environmental problem. Waste Manag. Res., 25(4); 307-31108.
Babu, K.E.K. (2020). The interconnection between environment and human rights: An overview on legal context. Eco. Env. & Con; 26(2); 914-917.
Babu, K.E.K. (2020). Water Pollution in Bangladesh, Its Causes and Impact: An Analysis Based on Existing Regulatory and Institutional Framework. Poll. Res., 39(4), 1-5.
Chatterjee, S. and Kumar, K. (2009). Effective electronic waste management and recycling process involving formal and non-formal sectors. Int. J. Phys. Sci., 4(13); 893-905.
Dana, T. (2011). Unhygienic Living Conditions and Health Problems: A Study in Selected Slums of Dhaka City. Int. J. Sustain. Dev., 2(11); 27-33.
Gibson, K. and Tierney, J.K. (2006). Electronic waste management and disposal issues and alternatives. Environ. Claims J., 18(4); 321–332.
Hossain, S. and Sultan, S. (2011). Illegal import and trade off of e-waste in Bangladesh. J. Env. Soc. Development., 2(1); 11-21.
Iqbal, K. S., Golam, N. M. and Hossain, A. (2010). Identifying and Analyzing Underlying Problems of Shipbuilding Industries in Bangladesh. Mech. Eng. J.  41(2).  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/jme.v41i2.7509
Islam, M.N. (2016). E-waste management of Bangladesh. Int. J. Innov. Hum. Ecol. Nat. Stud., 4(2); 1–12.
Kannan, S., Misra, D.P., Dvonch, J.T. and Krishnakumar, A. (2007). Exposures to airborne particulate matter and adverse perinatal outcomes: a biologically plausible mechanistic framework for exploring potential. Environ. Health Pers., 114(11); 1636-1642.
Kojima, M., Yoshida, A. and Sasaki, S. 2009. Difficulties in applying extended producer responsibility policies in developing countries: case studies in e-waste recycling in China and Thailand. J. Mater. Cycles Waste Manag., 11(3); 263–269.
Lawrence, M.G., and Lelieveld, J. (2010). Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review. Atm. Che. Phy., 10(22); 11017–11096.
Masud, M.H., Akram, W., Ahmed, A. (2019). Towards the effective E-waste management in Bangladesh: a review. Env. Sci. Pollut. Res., 26(1), 1250–1276.
Mourshed, M., Masud, M.H., Rashid, F, Joardder, M.U.H. (2017). Towards the effective plastic waste management in Bangladesh: a review. Environ Sci. Pollut. Res., 24(35); 27021–27046.
Pawar, H., Garg, S. and Kumar, V. (2015). Quantifying the contribution of long-range transport to particulate matter (PM) mass loadings at a suburban site in the north-western Indo-Gangetic Plain (NW-IGP).Atm. Che. Phy., 15(16); 9501–9520.
Riyad, A.S.M., Hassan, M.K., Iqbal, J.M., Rahim, A.M., and Uddin, W. (2014). E-waste recycling practices in Bangladesh. Int. J. Renew Energy Environ Eng., 2(3); 193–200.
ICT Division, Bangladesh (2021, January 23). Digital Bangladesh-2021 report, Dhaka. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from: https://investindigitalbd.gov.bd/page/digital-bangladesh-vision-2021
Rana, M.M., Sulaiman, N.B., Sivertsen, M.F. and Nasreen, S. (2016). Trends in atmospheric particulate matter in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the vicinity. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 23(1); 17393–17403.
Salam, T.H., Siddique, M.N.A. and Alam, A.M.S. (2008). Characteristics of atmospheric trace gases, particulate matter, and heavy metal pollution in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Air Qua. Atm. Health., 1(2); 101–109.
Sthiannopkao, S. and Wong, M.H. (2012). Handling e-waste in developed and developing countries: Initiatives, practices, and consequences. Sci. Total Environ., 463(1); 1147-1153.
Sudipta, C, Javed, S.A, Biswa, P. (2017) Reusing and recycling practice of E-waste in Dhaka City. In International Conference on Engineering Research, Innovation and Education (ICERIE), 1–7. International Conference on Engineering Research, Innovation and Education, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh.
Shams, S., Sahu, J.N., Rahman, S. M. and Ahsan, A. (2017). Sustainable waste management policy in Bangladesh for reduction of greenhouse gases. Sustain Cities Soc., 33(1); 18–26.
Shamim, A, Mursheda, A.K. and Rafiq, I. (2015). E-waste trading impact on public health and ecosystem services in developing countries. Int. J. Waste Resour., 5(188). DOI: https://doi.org/10.4172/2252-5211.1000188
Yousuf, T. and Reza, A. (2011). E-Waste management in Bangladesh: Present Trend and Future Implication. Proceedings of 2011 World Congress of International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), October 17-20, EXCO Daegu, Korea. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.3261.7927
Yang, X., Sun, L., Xiang, J., Hu, S. and Su, S. (2013). Pyrolysis and dehalogenation of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): a review. J. Waste Manag., 33(2); 462–473.
Zamena, U.K. (2002). Solid waste management in Dhaka City: challenges and pitfalls. J. Local Government., 29(1); 89–106.