sustainability

Electronic Waste Disposal In Beijing

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Electronic Waste Disposal in Beijing

Background Information

Beijing is China’s largest and most populated city which act as the capital of the mainland China Republic. From colonization to the present, the city boast of having the most iconic places not only in the country but also in the world. Beijing’s growth has been mainly promoted by industry and technology which ranges from the fastest train in the world to the many electronics manufacturers in within the city vicinity. However, the growth of the city has also brought sustainability problems which if not addressed will make the city even with its iconic facilities uninhabitable. Of all the sustainability problems that the city faces, disposal of electronic waste is the most significant.

China’s industrial growth and increased development have seen the city’s stream of electrical and electronic waste become important in both quantity toxicity terms. Electronic and electrical waste refers to discarded appliances such as refrigerators, televisions, and their associated waste such as printed wiring boards, batteries and electrical wiring (Orlins & Guan, 2016). The electronic waste also often contain other toxic components that often cause harmful effects to not only the environment but also human and animal bodies. The electrical waste in Beijing comes from both locally discarded appliances and imported waste from developed countries with the aim of recycling (Tong, 2017). The result of this large-scale presence of electronic waste is a reduction in the quality of air and water around the town which lead to increased health problems and reduced chances for sustainability in future.

Sustainability Features

Harmful Effects over the Long Term

The significance of electronic waste, in the long run, has not yet been qualitatively or quantitively established mainly because it is a relatively new challenge in most parts of the world. However, since the 1980s where the China economy started to see fast growth, there has been a high increase in disposal of household items in the capital, Beijing. This rate is set to continue growing as the economy of the country continues to boom as well as the population. Between 1990 and 2003, China saw an increase in the purchase of computers by five million, refrigerators by four million, televisions by 10 million and dishwashers by ten million (Orlins & Guan, 2016). Moreover, the growth of the demand for electrical appliances has led to the emergence of small workshops that use a basic method such as open incineration which increases the amount of waste released and dumped by the electronic industry.

Human and Social Wellbeing

One area that is most affected by electronic waste disposal is Dongxiaokou village located in the north-western direction of Beijing outskirt (Tong, 2017). This is where more than half of all Beijing's electronic waste is dumped. However, this place has become the hub of immigrant workers who make a living looking for what is usable in the e-waste. While this place presents tough living conditions, the people in the village life and reproduce there without the fear of what may happen to them. The primary type of recycling done in the area is smallscale by an individual or small businesses. The practice is potentially dangerous involving the de-soldering of printed wiring boards, removing printer cartridge toner, use of acid to recover gold, and open wire incineration to recover copper (Orlins & Guan, 2016). These practices are carried out even by young children.

Viability and Integrity of Eco-systems

The majority of the residue of electronic waste disposal and recycling in Beijing were dumped in irrigation ditches, fields and rivers. Investigations carried out by many organizations including Greenpeace have indicated a high level of pollutants to the environment. Water samples taken from a nearby river in the showed a high level of contaminants such as cadmium, and lead. The levels of these metals were way beyond the acceptable rates given by WHO (Tong, 2017). Not only is groundwater polluted but also the creation of very toxic levels of the chemicals in water has rendered crops in the area unsuitable for consumption. While in short-run this place may be habitable, high levels of pollutants in water and air threatens the lives of plants and animals in the area. The increased toxicity of water and soil in recycling plants and dumping area of Beijing will not only destroy creatures, but plants will also cease to grow (Wang et al., 2015).

Dismantling and disposing of electronic waste in Dongxiaokou has resulted in some issues that impact the viability of the eco-system. With the released waste ending up in rivers, soil and air, the utility of land and sea animals and plants are profoundly affected. One of the most common airborne toxins detected in the area include dioxins which have significantly increased with the processing of electronic waste. In rice paddies where water from the town is drowning, the level of carcinogens has also increased posing a threat not only to people working there but also consumers of rice (Tong, 2017). Among those metals that have been noted to exceed allowed standards include cadmium, nickel, and copper. Road dust in these areas has also been shown to contain heavy metals more than three hundred times the acceptable threshold.

Equitable Opportunity

The majority of the people who live and work in Beijing’s electronic waste disposals sites such as Dongxiaokou are poor immigrants. The conditions of working in these areas are poor and often results in health challenges. These include children who ought to be in school, but due to poor pay for parents, salary inadequacy, the children are often drawn from school to work in these dumpsites. Inequality in resources distribution pushes people in the dumpsites for e-waste collection and processing (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). Working in the Dongxiaokou dumpsite is done by those who have no their sources of livelihood. It involves the private investors who give limited pay for work done without necessarily following the payment guidelines for on minimum wages. Strategies to create a more sustainable model for electronic waste disposal also puts at risk millions of people at the risk of losing their livelihoods (Tong, 2017). At least 500,000 people draw their livelihood from working in the electronic dumpsites.

Inter-regional Justice

More than 50% of all the electronic waste that comes to Beijing is not generated from within the city. Most of it comes from developed nations who have devised an easy method to dispose of electronic waste without affecting their societies. China takes at least 70% of global e-waste which provides for most rural jobs in the country. However, the fact that at least 60% of the waste is processed in small-scale brings a lot of problems in the country. Poor enforcement of waste disposal has seen the poor in China take the global pollution caused by the processing of the waste. Dongxiaokou together with other regions such as Guiyu and Taizhou have the largest dumpsites for electronic waste in the world (Orlins & Guan, 2016). While there are world regulations meant to protect societies from irresponsible e-waste disposal, the community around Dongxiaokou village continues to be affected by poor disposal and processing of this waste. Most of the processing in the village is made of illegally imported goods whose owners are unwilling to pay for recycling costs. Even within China, at least 90% of the resident are unwilling to pay for recycling of e-waste (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). This is the reason for the poor payment of people working in the dumpsites. The world has used these people as the absorbents of its overuse of electronic gadgets. This systemic injustice continues despite the presence of rules to prevent.

Intergenerational Justice

The disposal and illegal processing of electronic waste affect not only the present generation but also future generations. Children born of people affected by the increased toxicity of air, soil, and water around the city will face the consequences of electronic waste. The pollution caused by the activities of the e-waste disposal affect the future generations ability to sustain themselves in their health and environment. Soil pollution leads to decreased ability of agricultural lands to create enough foods for the future generations (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). Also, polluted water leads to loss of fish in rivers and oceans that will cause the future generations to struggle considerably to win a meal for families in the future. It is consequently necessary to create a methodology for the protection of the livelihoods and health of the future generations.

Problem Urgency

The use of electrical appliances in the world has been on the rise since the 1990s. This has increased the amount of e-waste deposited in China. The rate of e-waste pile-up in most cities of China is worrying not only for Chinese government but also the entire world. While the environmental and health effects of unregulated dumping and processing of e-waste are mostly long-term, the short-term economic and social impacts are imminent. Most international bodies think that if the waste disposal challenge is not managed early enough, the problem will be hard to change in future (Orlins & Guan, 2016). Many people are increasingly taking jobs in the informal waste processing sector of the country. Small-scale electronic processing attracts at least two thousand immigrants per year into Beijing. This places a lot of pressure on the government as any strategy to eliminate the illegal business might not be welcome. It might also lead to other social problems such as increased unemployment, dependency and crime rates. Further, this elimination has a great threat to the economy of the city (Song & Li, 2014). Unemployment will reduce the purchasing power of the individuals in the country and result in reduced economic output for the town. This requires an increased level of government responsibility in taking care of social challenges. This makes the problem a matter of urgency and resolving it an important thing that the China government should respond to immediately (Orlins & Guan, 2016). From the global perspective, dealing with the challenge of e-waste disposal should be a future-based priority to respond to sustainability needs of the future generation.

Dispersed Effects

The challenge of electronic waste disposal in Beijing is multifaceted and spans across different sectors and spatial levels. It affects the global and local politics, society, environment, and health. Politically, China finds herself at a crossroad as she tries to create policies to reduce the consequences of poor e-waste disposal in the capital. Local administrators including city official have the responsibility of ensuring the proper waste disposal from their vicinity. On the other hand, the national government has tried to create regulations on waste disposal to respond to the need. This comes in as the international community presses the country to develop a model for effective waste disposal in response to international standards. The international community has made efforts to help china deal with issues of e-waste disposal including regulation of dumping by developed nations. Similarly, the effects of e-waste disposal in China’s capital have adverse effects on the environment of the entire country, especially on the south coast. Orlins & Guan, (2016) reported a decrease in the fauna and flora of the east coast of China where most e-waste disposal sites are located. The effects of air quality decrease rich neighboring countries. As a rice producing country, the reduced rice production and heavy-metal ridden foods have the potential of affecting rice importing nations (Wang et al., 2015). This leads to dispersal of health challenges related to the consumption of heavy metals throughout the world.

Complex Causes

China has become the world’s fastest-growing economy and held the position for more than ten years. The main catalyst for the rapid economic growth is the liberalization of manufacturing industries and the development of small-scale manufacturing. China has become home to most manufacturers from all corners of the world, especially Europe and North America. The low cost of labor is the main attraction for most industries which seek to increase profits by reducing the cost of production (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). The low labor and minimum government regulation of the manufacturing industries are the underlying factors for e-waste disposal in the country. This drives the private sector to employ minimum and low technology to process waste while developed countries find an easy and cheap method to dispose of e-waste (Steuer, Ramusch & Salhofer, 2018). Secondly, the e-waste legislation that is currently present in China does not adequately eliminate poor disposal. The government has not made effective regulations to eliminate illegal processing for fear of possible social problems.

The leading cause of complexity that makes it hard for the China government to control e-waste disposal effectively is the fear of possible consequences on the society. With a majority of the poor people heavily depending on the informal sector for livelihood, extreme measures may have severe effects on these people who have been increasing throughout (Steuer et al., 2018). The rate of unemployment that is likely to occur due to the elimination of informal e-waste disposal is high and could be catastrophic.

Controversy

Despite the Beijing ratification of the Basel Convention that outlaw trade in e-waste, imports still slip into the country from the developed world. The main reason for this is the lack of control by the Chinese government on the trade and controversy with those controlling the trade. The government of China is highly reluctant to directly influencing the business that is mainly carried out by rich men by oppressing the poor (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). Another challenge for the apparent reluctance by the government to control the disposal and processing of e-waste in its cities is the poor reception by the resident to pay. At least 90% of Chinese are unwilling to pay for waste disposal. This leaves the government without revenue for proper disposal. Finally, the dumping site caters for the livelihoods of at least 500,000 people who do not have any other sources of income (Abdulrahman et al., 2014). If closed, these people will languish in more poverty than they currently do give the government an extra burden to cater for them.

Problem Solving

Chinese central government is the stakeholder most involved in the identification of the Dongxiaokou e-waste dumpsite as a sustainability challenge. The government of China has analyzed the Dumpsite as a sustainability problem. The government of China has analyzed the Dongxiaokou e-waste dumping about the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the country. The government has analyzed the problem to understand how it affects the lives of the citizen its citizens in Beijing but also other parts of the world (Steuer, 2017). According to a government report, the Dongxiaokou e-waste disposal creates dependency by low-income families who are mainly immigrants into the city. These people continue to place dependence on the dumpsite despite the fact that it cannot sustain them for long enough. Regarding environmental sustainability, the government has done funded several studies to analyze the impact the soil and water pollution has on the life of plants and animals (Song & Li, 2014). Each study showed that continuous dumping of waste in the area would result in loss of valuable plants and animals with agricultural land also being affected. Production of rice will be most affected by the precedent spillage of chemicals on soil and water. Regarding health, the government predicts an increase in expenditure in catering for expected rises in health requirements as people succumb to diseases related to water and air pollution (Song & Li, 2014). Finally, economically, the unregulated disposal of e-waste is expected to cause an increase in public spending on waste management. Further, the dependency syndrome created predisposes the community to challenges should the dumpsite be closed.

Mitigation of the problem

Further, the government has taken measures to mitigate the sustainability problem to reduce the undue harm it might have on the community in the long run if not mitigated. The main challenge towards the control of the management of electronic waste in China is the lack of a legal framework to aid in management strategies. However, since 2012, the Chinese govern ratified the Basel Convention that outlaw trade in e-waste (Steuer et al., 2018). This is the primary legal framework activities aimed at controlling the elimination of waste in the Beijing. The Basel convention is supposed to help crack down illegal importation of electronic waste from developed countries. This law has created a way to capture the illegal trading of e-waste into the country (Steuer, 2017). However, the law has faced challenges in enforcement due to the failure of the country to create backup laws.

The government has also taken legal initiatives to control the processing of electrical waste in Beijing and eliminate dumpsites in the city. Recent development has seen the country government even take initiatives to eradicate dumpsites in the town. The government has made arrangements with the private sector to promote the formal disposal and processing of e-waste that does not put the lives of people in danger (Pan et al., 2015). Moreover, there is a regulation that requires people to pay for the disposal of waste in the country. However, this arrangement faces a lot of opposition as 90% of people are unwilling to pay for the collection of electronics (Steuer, 2017). This comes from the traditional belief that these gadgets are still useful and can be re-used and so instead of paying for disposal they ought to be paid for giving them away. Another regulation is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) which requires that electronic manufacturers take responsibility for the waste that comes from their activities. The government has also created eight facilities in the country where electronic waste will be collected and managed. One of these facilities is set to be in Beijing and will eliminate waste in the village. The government has relocated the dumpsites amid confrontation from people working in them to the new places where processing is contained (Steuer, 2017). Finally, there are efforts to educate the masses on the dangers of open e-waste disposal and informal handling of their health.

Essay Benefit

The analysis of the challenge of electronic waste disposal in Beijing is one benefits a vast majority of people not only in China but also in every part of the world. It shows how important it is to manage electronic waste in developed countries effectively. With increased China government effort to stop e-waste trade, companies in the developed world will have to create their strategies to eliminate e-waste from within (Pan et al., 2015). Also, the essay informs people who depend on the e-waste dumpsites for livelihood to look for alternative methods of earning a living. Further, the government will benefit by understanding the possible measures to take without causing undue pressure on the workers.

References

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Orlins, S., & Guan, D. (2016). China's toxic informal e-waste recycling: local approaches to a global environmental problem. Journal of Cleaner Production, 114, 71-80.

Pan, S. Y., Du, M. A., Huang, I. T., Liu, I. H., Chang, E. E., & Chiang, P. C. (2015). Strategies on implementation of waste-to-energy (WTE) supply chain for circular economy system: a review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 108, 409-421.

Song, Q., & Li, J. (2014). A systematic review of the human body burden of e-waste exposure in China. Environment international, 68, 82-93.

Steuer, B. (2017). Is China’s regulatory system on urban household waste collection effective? An evidence-based analysis on the evolution of formal rules and contravening informal practices. Journal of Chinese Governance, 2(4), 411-436.

Steuer, B., Ramusch, R., & Salhofer, S. P. (2018). Can Beijing’s informal waste recycling sector survive amidst worsening circumstances?. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 128, 59-68.

Tong, X. (2017). From “Waste Village” to “Urban Circular Economic System”: The Changing Landscape of Waste in Beijing. In Carbon Capitalism and Communication (pp. 71-82). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Wang, J., Liu, L., Wang, J., Pan, B., Fu, X., Zhang, G., ... & Lin, K. (2015). Distribution of metals and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in sediments, soils and plants from an informal e-waste dismantling site, South China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(2), 1020-1033.