E-waste in Saudi Arabia reaches 5m tonnes
Alarm sounded over health, eco-harms of improper handling of waste
Cairo: The annual amount of electronic waste in Saudi Arabia ranges from 3 to 5 million tonnes, according to a recycling executive.
“This is due to complete reliance on technologies and electronic devices in all sectors,” said Zamel Al Shahrani, the manager of a recycling factory.
The situation highlights the need for specialised companies for recycling electronic waste, making use of it and curbing their hazards, he told Saudi newspaper Okaz.
According to him, electronic waste refers to all energy-powered devices and their accessories.
“When their lifespans expire, they become electronic waste,” Al Shahrani said. He explained that the electronic waste is hazardous due to their chemical toxic contents. “Shouldn’t this waste be properly handled through burning or burial, they have serious effects on the environment, society and economy. It destroys all environment components including soil, water and air and causes serious ills such as skin cancer, heart and kidney diseases and harms immune system.”
He noted that economy also incurs losses in the shape of raw materials that could be obtained by recycling electronic waste.