Signal Failure Likely on the Metropolitan Line

Something a little different this afternoon from Japanese designer Yuri Suzuki, designer in residence at the London Design Museum. Working with 'thrift' as a theme Suzuki created a fully functioning AM/FM radio using Harry Beck's iconic London Underground map as a circuit board. As an added bonus all the main components are sourced from recycled consumer electronics! 

Scroll down to see a short video on his design process
Images © hitomi kai yoda
Source: http://www.designboom.com/

A Review of B. Y. Wu et al. Paper on the Toxicity Potential of Metallic Elements in Discarded Electronics - 'A Case Study of Mobile Phones in China'

Last week I came across the above paper published in the Journal of Environmental Sciences in 2008 (login required). Within it was an assessment of the toxicity potential (TP) of 24 metallic elements contained within the average mobile phone using Lead (Pb) as an experimental analogue.

China received and created an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of e-waste during 2011 (http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/07/e-waste-hits-china) and not all of this waste is being handled correctly with large quantities heading to landfill and incineration facilities across the country. With this comes a high toxicity potential risk with hazardous materials such as mercury, dioxines and arsenic accumulating within the biosphere.

The electronics industry has been working to removes highly toxic heavy metals from consumer products since the late 90's encouraged by industry regulation. The most toxic of metal, lead (Pb), was used in component solder, circuit boards and TV's to name a few up until 2003 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/nmo/enforcement) where upon it was outlawed in Europe, USA and Asia. According to B. Y. Wu et al. this makes Pb the perfect control to gauge the toxicity potential of other elements found within electronic devices.

The paper breaks down two mobile phones, one from 1998 and the other from 2003, first into materials (plastic, metals, Ceramics, etc) then into elements by weight. The report shows that, although Pb is no longer used in the later device, the percentage weight of metallic elements are very similar between the two models. This gives the report a basis for assessing the environmental impact of both past and present mobile devices.

Out of the 12 highly hazardous elements identified Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Antimony are all well documented as being highly toxic heavy metals and pose a significant risk to the environment. However, the report also identifies Beryllium, Nickel, Silver and Chromium as potentially hazardous if concentrated in the environment. Beryllium can, if overexposed, cause irreversible scaring to the lungs of both humans and animals. Nickel has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen. Silver poses a significant threat to water organisms while chromium can have much the same effect in high enough concentrations. What is more alarming is that many of these toxic elements are used in alloys as Pb-free solder by manufacturers to get around the RoHS regulations. While mobile phones, for example, have been getting smaller year on year the percentage weight of toxic elements has remained much the same. Therefore, unless the number of discarded devices is reduced the danger to the environment remains serious. With the increasingly short life cycle of mobile phones and the ever increasing number being purchased it does not look likely that a reduction will be seen anytime soon. 

In upcoming posts I will look into the ways the media, both foreign and domestic, cover this potential threat to the environment and explore how you at home can guarantee your tech does not add to landfills in China. 

Out With The Old

Released every few months, a new and ‘game changing’ gadget is launched to the world. Be it the latest and greatest fruity toy from Cupertino or the thinnest and lightest from South Korea we all, as a planet, rush out to upgrade, exchange and renew. We do this, myself included, with little to no regard for the fate of our once beloved devices. Some are relegated to a dusty draws along with unknown keys and decades old AA batteries in the midst of corrosive decay. Until one day, in a fit of existential madness the draw is upended into a black bin bag, tied and bound for landfill (Do not do this! Bad! Naughty people! Batteries can be recycled at all major supermarkets nationwide). Maybe however, you have decided to trade in your old device for money, vouchers or free cinema tickets. You do this in the belief that your old gadget will go to a new loving home of those less fortunate than yourself. However, the sad truth is that they will most likely have been stripped unceremoniously of their precious metals and then shipped to landfill in developing nations. This is the circle of life for all of our technology, created in far off lands only to return, sometimes in less than 12 months, to be dumped in the name of progress. It is a universal truth that for every shiny new phone, tablet, TV or laptop bought an ‘old’ one must be decommissioned from service. What happens after this and the impacts our consumer lifestyle has on the environment will be discussed in the blog.

the life cycle of a mobile phone from claudio graciolli on Vimeo.