Main Article Content
Abstract
Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is a fast growing solid waste stream worldwide which poses a higher level of risk on children’s health. About 50 million tons of e-waste are created globally each year. At the same time, complex and sometimes illegal e-waste trade is growing in developing countries. Since only 12.5% of e-waste is recycled currently, there is an urgent need to address the proper recycling of e waste products globally to mitigate the crucial effects on the most vulnerable section of our society i.e. children. The extreme level of lead in electronics is solely responsible for causing damage in the central and peripheral nervous systems, the blood and the kidneys. It is the high time to realize the hidden cost of improper recycling of mobile phones, laptops, computers and other electronic and electrical devises which consists of highly toxic materials such as cadmium, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, lead and mercury. The Basel Convention of 1989,Rotterdam Convention of 1998,Stockholm Convention of 2001 along with Electronic Waste Initiative of 2004,Solving the e-waste Problem (STEP,2007),e-waste and Child health initiative(WHO,2013 and 2017) and the latest United Nations ‘Letter of Intent’ to end e-waste ,2018 comprehensively forms the legal framework to deal the e-waste challenge globally. It is a well -known principle of sustainable development that it the duty of present generation to meet the needs of the present ,without compromising the ability of future generations to meet there own needs.