The risks to human health and environmental impacts from community e-waste separation

Abstract

The environmental and health impacts on the case study ‘Khok Saat community’ of the toxic substances and gases produced in this e-waste processing, are obvious and measurable. Two scenarios were developed. A life cycle assessment approach was carried out focusing on the end-of life phase. The ReCiPe Endpoint (H) v.1.10 method was used as the main LCIA method in this study. The result showed that all of impacts in scenario 2 were higher than scenario 1. For ‘Human Health (HH)’ impact, Human Toxicity indicator was highest and ‘Resource Availability (RA)’ impact, Fossil Depletion indicator was highest in both scenarios. For ‘Ecosystem Diversity (ED)’ impact, Terrestrial Ecotoxicity indicator was highest in scenario 1 and Climate Change Ecosystem was highest in scenario 2. The knowledge and understandings gained in this research can be used to inform policy makers and regulating bodies on the need for, and benefits of, a proper and enforceable legal and regulatory framework for the e-waste recycling industry.