Table 1.

Environment and health hazards.[12,13]

Computer/e-waste component	Process	Potential occupational hazard	Potential environmental hazard
Cathode ray tubes	Breaking, removal of copper yoke and dumping	Silicosis Cuts from CRT glass Inhalation or contact with phosphor containing cadmium or other metals	Lead, barium and other heavy metals leaching into ground water and release of toxic phosphor
Printer circuit boards	Desoldering and removing computer chips	Tin and lead inhalation Possible brominated dioxin, beryllium, cadmium and mercury inhalation	Air emission of the same substances
Dismantled printed circuit board processing	Open burning of waste boards	Toxicity of workers and nearby residents rom tin, lead, brominated dioxin, beryllium, cadmium and mercury inhalation	Tin and lead contamination of immediate environment, including surface and ground waters, brominated dioxins, beryllium, cadmium and mercury inhalation
Chips and other gold-plated compounds	Chemical stripping using nitric and hydrochloric acid along riverbanks	Acid contact with eyes, skin may result in permanent injury Inhalation if mists and fumes of acids, chlorine and sulfur dioxide gases can cause respiratory irritation to severe effects, including pulmonary edema, circulatory failure and death	Hydrocarbons, heavy metals, brominated substances etc. discharged directly into river and banks. Acidifies the river destroying fish and flora
Plastics from the computer and peripherals	Shredding and low-temperature melting	Probable hydrocarbon, brominated dioxin and PAH exposure to workers living in the burning works area	Emission of brominated dioxins and heavy metals and hydrocarbons
Secondary steel or copper and precious metal smelting	Furnace recovers steel or copper from waste	Exposure to dioxins and heavy metals	Emission of dioxins and heavy metals
Wires	Open burning to recover copper	Brominated and chlorinated dioxin and PAH exposure to workers living in the burning works area	Hydrocarbon and ashes, including PAHs discharged into air, water and soil