E-waste Management and the Conservation of Geochemical Scarce Resources

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) generates very complex waste due to the wide variety of components such as metals, polymers, ceramic materials, and composite elements. In addition, the growing consumption of these devices due to technological development increases the rate they are disposed of. When improperly disposed of, waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) may trigger environmental impacts and negative effects on health. Also, the expansion of the electronic industry is based on the extraction of natural resources, some of which are running increasingly scarce. In this scenario, recycling stands as an alternative in the effort to recover economically interesting materials such as metals, which are abundant in waste electric and electronic equipment. This text discusses the current scenario in the electrical and electronic equipment industry and generation of waste electric and electronic equipment considering the implications of resource management and environment, social, and economic impact in this production chain.