Today’s Treasure, Tomorrow’s Trash
All sorts of electrical and electronic products/are being sold today. We keep buying them,/while dumping old ones. The consequence of this trend is ever-increasing e-waste,/which is damaging the environment. How do we deal with this problem?
In this consumer society we live in,/new products are introduced into the market every day. A certain high-tech company in the US/shipped so many new tablet computers in 2020/that if they were all laid flat and stacked,/they would be as tall as 862 Empire State Buildings.
This is a magnificent accomplishment/on the part of the manufacturer. But if you look at the other side of the coin,/you may have a different idea. A UN study reports/that about 53.6 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide/in 2019. The amount of global e-waste/is expected to increase to 74 million tons by 2030. The negative impact of e-waste on the environment/is quite serious. E-waste is often highly toxic,/leaking heavy metals and dangerous chemicals/into the soil around landfills,/and emitting greenhouse gases and mercury/when burned.
Factors behind E-waste
A recent study/by the Federal Environment Agency in Germany/tried to uncover the factors/which brought about the present situation. The findings suggest/that the lifespan of household appliances is getting shorter. This is partly because consumers are demanding better products. A third of all replacement purchases for household appliances/were motivated simply by desire for a better unit/while the old one still worked fine. That proportion rose to 60 percent/when it came to televisions. Old ones are replaced as outdated/even if they are still perfectly usable.
More importantly,/the study reveals another concerning problem. The results show/that the proportion of large household appliances/that needed to be replaced within five years of purchase/due to a defect/grew from 3.5 percent in 2004 to 8.3 percent in 2012. The agency described that rise as “remarkable.” Although the study has not provided any conclusive proof,/it speculates that manufacturers intentionally shorten the lives of products/to boost sales/—a strategy often referred to as “planned obsolescence.” This simply means/to design a product with an intentionally limited lifespan.
Coping with “Planned Obsolescence”
Is there anything we can do/to cope with planned obsolescence? One thing we can do/is to repair and keep using our electrical and electronic devices/for as long as possible. When products break,/we can either repair them by ourselves,/or have them repaired by the shop/where we bought them. The longer we can use them,/the less impact they will have on the environment. We can extend the life of our devices,/save money,/and reduce the burden of the many gadgets/that have turned into the world’s junk. Furthermore,/we can reduce the amount of waste and greenhouse gas emissions/associated with the production of new products.
In recent years,/however,/a new way to make products obsolete/is on the rise:/“repair prevention.” Now it is getting more and more difficult/for individuals and repair shops/to troubleshoot electrical and electronic devices. This is partly because devices have become more complex,/but it is partly by design. Manufacturers are limiting access to repair information/to authorized service centers,/leaving private repairers unable to deal with even simple problems. Some companies also refuse to provide repair manuals. Thus,/it’s just easier and sometimes cheaper/to buy something new.
Obviously,/companies have an incentive/to make it difficult to repair their products. If they can control the repairs,/they can make money. The profit is increased/because companies with a monopoly on repair/can set prices higher than the market would otherwise bear. The result:/more and more e-waste is being dumped into landfills.
“Right to Repair”
So,/what should we do? A new and powerful approach to this problem/is a movement to protect the “right to repair,”/which is gaining momentum in the US and Europe. This movement aims to force manufacturers of electrical and electronic products/to recognize the right of consumers and technicians/to obtain information necessary for repairs/and perform repairs on their own.
The right-to-repair campaign/is gaining ground in the UK and EU. In the UK,/a new law will require manufacturers/to provide spare parts for their products to consumers/for the first time. The goal is to protect consumers/and reduce environmental impact/at the same time. The UK government claims/that this will reduce e-waste by 1.5 million tons each year,/as well as carbon dioxide emissions.
In the EU,/the first eco-design regulations/that set standards for repair/have come into effect. This means/that manufacturers of washing machines,/dishwashers,/refrigerators, etc./have to ensure that customers can replace components/using easily obtainable tools. The French government has set the goal/of making 60 percent of electrical and electronic devices in France repairable/by 2026.
Furthermore,/in the US,/about 20 states have already filed right-to-repair bills. It is expected that other states will follow suit. However,/some of the big companies/are lobbying against the legislation,/making it difficult for the government/to push the new laws through.
“Owner Society”
In a “consumer society”/where people continue to consume disposable products,/ecological destruction is inevitable. On the other hand,/in an “owner society”/where products are cherished and repaired,/companies and consumers can move/toward reducing the burden on the environment/by sharing responsibility.
Which society do you want to live in:/a “consumer society”/or an “owner society”? Your choice may determine the long-term fate/of this planet.
All sorts of electrical and electronic products/are being sold today. We keep buying them,/while dumping old ones. The consequence of this trend is ever-increasing e-waste,/which is damaging the environment. How do we deal with this problem?
In this consumer society we live in,/new products are introduced into the market every day. A certain high-tech company in the US/shipped so many new tablet computers in 2020/that if they were all laid flat and stacked,/they would be as tall as 862 Empire State Buildings.
This is a magnificent accomplishment/on the part of the manufacturer. But if you look at the other side of the coin,/you may have a different idea. A UN study reports/that about 53.6 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide/in 2019. The amount of global e-waste/is expected to increase to 74 million tons by 2030. The negative impact of e-waste on the environment/is quite serious. E-waste is often highly toxic,/leaking heavy metals and dangerous chemicals/into the soil around landfills,/and emitting greenhouse gases and mercury/when burned.
Factors behind E-waste
A recent study/by the Federal Environment Agency in Germany/tried to uncover the factors/which brought about the present situation. The findings suggest/that the lifespan of household appliances is getting shorter. This is partly because consumers are demanding better products. A third of all replacement purchases for household appliances/were motivated simply by desire for a better unit/while the old one still worked fine. That proportion rose to 60 percent/when it came to televisions. Old ones are replaced as outdated/even if they are still perfectly usable.
More importantly,/the study reveals another concerning problem. The results show/that the proportion of large household appliances/that needed to be replaced within five years of purchase/due to a defect/grew from 3.5 percent in 2004 to 8.3 percent in 2012. The agency described that rise as “remarkable.” Although the study has not provided any conclusive proof,/it speculates that manufacturers intentionally shorten the lives of products/to boost sales/—a strategy often referred to as “planned obsolescence.” This simply means/to design a product with an intentionally limited lifespan.
Coping with “Planned Obsolescence”
Is there anything we can do/to cope with planned obsolescence? One thing we can do/is to repair and keep using our electrical and electronic devices/for as long as possible. When products break,/we can either repair them by ourselves,/or have them repaired by the shop/where we bought them. The longer we can use them,/the less impact they will have on the environment. We can extend the life of our devices,/save money,/and reduce the burden of the many gadgets/that have turned into the world’s junk. Furthermore,/we can reduce the amount of waste and greenhouse gas emissions/associated with the production of new products.
In recent years,/however,/a new way to make products obsolete/is on the rise:/“repair prevention.” Now it is getting more and more difficult/for individuals and repair shops/to troubleshoot electrical and electronic devices. This is partly because devices have become more complex,/but it is partly by design. Manufacturers are limiting access to repair information/to authorized service centers,/leaving private repairers unable to deal with even simple problems. Some companies also refuse to provide repair manuals. Thus,/it’s just easier and sometimes cheaper/to buy something new.
Obviously,/companies have an incentive/to make it difficult to repair their products. If they can control the repairs,/they can make money. The profit is increased/because companies with a monopoly on repair/can set prices higher than the market would otherwise bear. The result:/more and more e-waste is being dumped into landfills.
“Right to Repair”
So,/what should we do? A new and powerful approach to this problem/is a movement to protect the “right to repair,”/which is gaining momentum in the US and Europe. This movement aims to force manufacturers of electrical and electronic products/to recognize the right of consumers and technicians/to obtain information necessary for repairs/and perform repairs on their own.
The right-to-repair campaign/is gaining ground in the UK and EU. In the UK,/a new law will require manufacturers/to provide spare parts for their products to consumers/for the first time. The goal is to protect consumers/and reduce environmental impact/at the same time. The UK government claims/that this will reduce e-waste by 1.5 million tons each year,/as well as carbon dioxide emissions.
In the EU,/the first eco-design regulations/that set standards for repair/have come into effect. This means/that manufacturers of washing machines,/dishwashers,/refrigerators, etc./have to ensure that customers can replace components/using easily obtainable tools. The French government has set the goal/of making 60 percent of electrical and electronic devices in France repairable/by 2026.
Furthermore,/in the US,/about 20 states have already filed right-to-repair bills. It is expected that other states will follow suit. However,/some of the big companies/are lobbying against the legislation,/making it difficult for the government/to push the new laws through.
“Owner Society”
In a “consumer society”/where people continue to consume disposable products,/ecological destruction is inevitable. On the other hand,/in an “owner society”/where products are cherished and repaired,/companies and consumers can move/toward reducing the burden on the environment/by sharing responsibility.
Which society do you want to live in:/a “consumer society”/or an “owner society”? Your choice may determine the long-term fate/of this planet.