“Urban Mining” From Electronic Goods Can Cause Poisoning

PICTURE COURTESY : TERI

In recent years in India, there is a fast-growing network of start-ups seeking to extract energy transition minerals from E-waste in a process known as “urban mining”. The narrow lanes of Seelampur, in trans-Yamuna area of Delhi, which is often called “Toxic Sink”, is home to India’s largest electrical-waste market. It is full of scrap stores which are laden with broken computers, mobiles, TVs, microwaves, washing machines, ACs and end-of-life batteries and workers mining copper, aluminum, gold, lithium, cobalt and nickel from them.

Charging cables contain copper, a conductive metal and aluminum in electronic components is needed to manufacture solar panels.batteries that contain lithium, cobalt and nickel. Which are used to make batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and storing renewable energy. Heat is used to extract iron, aluminum and gold, releasing toxic fumes.

There is no estimate available of the number of workers involved in urban mining in Delhi or in other cities of India. Since it’s the most unorganized sector and workers involved are from rag pickers to those who buy old and broken household stuff. Yet most of them are exposed to Heavy metals and its toxicity. Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which are found in electronics, can leak from the disused goods, exposing workers to pollutants.

Lead poisoning has been recognized as a major public health risk, particularly in developing countries. Lead accumulates in the human body via absorption, bioavailability and disrupts the neurological, skeletal, reproductive, hematopoietic, renal, and cardiovascular systems.Exposure to lead produces various deleterious effects on the hematopoietic, renal, reproductive and central nervous system. Acute and chronic symptoms of lead poisoning include kidney, brain, reproductive organ, and Nervous system damage.

Similarly Mercury is most notable for its neurological effects. It can cause -Loss of peripheral vision, pins and needles” feelings, usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth, Lack of coordination of movements; Impairment of speech, hearing, walking; and Muscle weakness.

Cadmium poisoning has been reported from many parts of the world. Long-term exposure to cadmium through air, water, soil, and food leads to cancer and organ system toxicity such as skeletal, urinary, reproductive, cardiovascular, central and peripheral nervous, and respiratory systems.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy