The introduction of European standards in handling e-waste in Ukraine is the most effective way of solving this problem, experts say
Ukraine is taking the first steps in addressing the problem of electronic waste using EU standards, said the participants of the press conference in Kyiv organized by the Mama-86 environmental organization with support of the International Renaissance Foundation’s European Program.
“The transfer of European standards and practices in handling waste to Ukrainian soil is the most effective way of solving the problem of electronic waste,” said Zoryana Mishchuk, executive director of Mama-86. “It’s important that these measures be taken with the continuous involvement of all stakeholders – government, public, business, researchers, educators, media, etc.”
Olha Tsyhulyova, manager of chemical safety projects at Mama-86, remarked: “Every now and then equipment breaks, and we replace our cell phones, computers, other electronic devices. All this goes into landfills and dumps, and these amounts are increasing every year. The weight of electronic devices that people throw out annually recently jumped to 50 million tons. Some electronic equipment contains more than 1000 different components, some of which are toxic and pollute the environment and harm people’s health.”
Lyudmyla Povyakel, director of the ecological hygiene and toxicology of hazardous waste of the L.I. Medved Research Center of Preventive Toxicology, Food and Chemical Safety of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, pointed out that the most dangerous components in e-waste are heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium), flame and combustion retardants (polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers), and polyvinyl chloride. “When e-waste ends up in landfills over time they destruct and this mix of hazardous substances enters the soil and water and then to the human body through the food chain, causing serious problems to the immune, nervous, digestive, and other systems, affecting DNA and causing disease. Toxic substances are also emitted when e-waste is burned.”
Hanna Vyhovska, head of the environmental safety department of the State Ecological Academy of Postgraduate Education and Management, emphasized: “In Europe the cost of waste management is partially or fully put on the product manufacturer or shared with distributors. All manufacturers (importers) must be registered. Companies have to provide for the collection of electrical and electronic equipment or free returns for households. Ukraine needs to legislate the principle of producer responsibility and shift to them responsibility to produce environmentally friendly products and ensure safe disposal and recycling.”
Contacts:
Mama-86
Olha Tsyhulyova
(+380 44) 227 02 57
+380 67 403 26 09
info@mama-86.org.ua
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The essential role of the European Program lies in promotion of Ukraine’s European integration, combining external pressure of the EU with the domestic one of the Ukrainian civil society, and thus contributing to promotion of open society values in Ukraine.
