Hong Kong can pay to dispose of electronic waste properly – it can’t afford more pollution
Bernard Chan says the sheer volume of electronic equipment we throw away each year has made the new producer responsibility scheme necessary. Instead of asking whether consumers will pay more, we should consider the price of not disposing of such waste properly
There was a time when air conditioners, refrigerators and computers were expensive luxuries. Today, they are so affordable that when they break or are out of date, we throw them out and get new ones.
Some items are virtually designed to be disposable. For example, computer printer manufacturers make their profit from ink cartridges. Many of us replace perfectly good televisions and computers to keep up with the latest upgrade model. Even if we want to repair a device, it is often more practical to just buy a new one.
These devices contain harmful compounds. If electronic waste goes into landfills, elements like lead and cadmium can leak out and pollute soil and water.
Hong Kong ships much of its electronic waste overseas. In some cases, the equipment is repaired and refurbished and sold to local customers in poorer economies. In other cases, salvagers break up the equipment for valuable content like copper and gold. We also have a local salvaging industry that has been importing electronic waste – not always legally.
