Suggestions for the problem

Responsible consumption

Of course, there are responsibilities on the consumer. It is important not to overconsume items that are not truly necessary. Some applications in recent years such as Temu have gamified buying incredibly cheap electronics which are awful for the environment, and just not very useful. It is simply important to gauge if an item would be of any use before purchasing something, even if it is very cheap. Trying to repair one’s items is also a good way to keep your things lasting for longer, sites such as ifixit.com can be a great help.

The “ monster in the closet” effect

If I were to ask you where your old phones are right now the answer is probably in some secluded corner, a random shelf, or even on your desk. Personally, my two old and broken laptops are sitting somewhere in my room. However, this is extremely bad for two main reasons. Firstly, keeping them there, especially in warm climates such as ours leaves the rare but not impossible chance of the Lithium batteries to overheat and explode causing fires. Secondly, if one is too slow recyclers cannot salvage anything. So, what to do? Well once someone has used their devices and is done, they should try to dispose of them or give them to a recycler as soon as possible.

Responsibilities of the manufacturers

Manufacturers do carry some of the blame. Recent years have seen the rise in the practice of dematerialization, which refers to the practice of trying to limit the amount of resources. On the surface it does sound good but the issue boils down to the problems with recycling. They are leaner but not greener. This is because parts inside are glued together nowadays instead of secured with removable screws. The reason for this issue is that it is now almost impossible to disassemble the parts for a recycler to recycle profitably or repair the device. The manufacturer must take responsibility, one way to do so is to use simple screws so recyclers can recycle the product in an efficient manner.

The Government’s Role

A study on e-waste in Jordan highlighted 5 key steps to improving the legislation and power in the country:

· A robust legal framework that is enforced.

· Development of environmental infrastructure. Whilst plans have been made no real facility has been finished yet.

· Financing and tax incentives for “take back” mechanisms for old technology.

· Life cycle planning for e-waste

· Awareness and education

These can ensure that people know why, where, how and when to recycle e-waste.

Make sure to visit the Jordanian e-waste recyclers at: https://e-tafkeek.com/