UN: E-waste rising sharply in Asia
Electronic waste is rising sharply across Asia as higher incomes allow hundreds of millions of people to buy smartphones and other gadgets, with serious consequences for human health and the environment, according to a UN study released yesterday.
So-called e-waste in Asia has jumped 63 percent in five years, the report by the United Nations University said, as it warned of a need for most nations across the region to improve recycling and disposal methods.
The report said that in recent years, Asia has rapidly emerged as a major source of electronic waste, due to increasingly affluent consumers buying items such as phones, tablets, refrigerators, personal computers and televisions.
Per capita the worst-offending economy in the region was Hong Kong, with each person in the Chinese territory generating an average of 21.7 kilograms (47.8 pounds) of e-waste in 2015. Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines were among the lowest e-waste generators with an average of about one kilogram for each person.
Improper and illegal e-waste dumping means increased exposure to extremely toxic chemicals, leading to severe health and environment consequences.
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