E-waste: an emerging threat to “one health”

Abstract Solid waste management, which is already a mammoth task in most of the developing nations including India, has become more complicated by the invasion of e-waste, particularly computer waste. This problem has become more acute owing to the rapid obsolescence rate of electronic goods. E-waste contains thousands of hazardous chemicals that come into the environment due to its improper recycling and disposal. In India, nonformal sector is the major player responsible for recycling e-waste. Such an informal sector does not possess sufficient means to handle the increasing quantities of generated e-wastes, leading to potential intolerable risks for the human, animal, and environmental health. Further, the lack of public awareness regarding the disposal of electronic goods and the inadequacy of policies to handle the issues related to e-waste enhance the existing problem in India. Therefore, it is exceedingly essential to address issues pertaining to the ever-growing pile of e-wastes in the country. Hence, the objectives of this review are to focus on factors leading to e-waste generation, their impact on “One Health,” and to briefly address the strategies of management and recycling for overall sustainable development.