South Korea Attempting to Reuse More E-Waste
South Korea is dealing with increasing amounts ofwaste from electronic devices. These useless orunwanted parts are often called “e-waste.”
Tons of old computers, telephones and other devices are often taken to landfills and buried under the ground. The old products may leak toxic or poisonous chemicals.
Now, some local governments in South Korea arelaunching special e-waste recycling programs. The cityof Seoul throws out about 10 tons of e-waste eachyear. About 20 percent of that goes to the SeoulResource Center, also known as the SR Center. There,electronic devices are taken apart so that valuablemetals like gold or copper can be extracted andreused. South Korean officials say metal extraction is a $3.8 billion-dollar industry.
Ji Un-geun is the chief executive officer of the SR Center. He says reusing electronic parts is not only about earning profits. He says the goal is to protectthe environment.
He says, “Our planet has a limited amount of natural resources. Our company contributes to a sustainable society, by conserving these materials.”
Ji Un-Geun says about 90 percent of what is brought to the center will be usedon other products.
The increase of e-waste is not only a concern in South Korea. The UnitedNations says millions of tons of e-waste end up in developing countries. Toxicmaterials like lead and mercury can create a severe health risk to the local population.
The Seoul city government partnered with the SR Center to collect e-waste in 2009.
Lee Tae-hong lives in the South Korean capital. He says recycling is alsoabout protecting personal information from attack.
He says, “If devices like phones are not recycled, then they could illegally endup in other countries like China or in Southeast Asia, and personal data couldbe stolen.”
But some environmental groups say not enough is being done to limit theamount of electronics sent to landfills. South Koreans keep buying more andmore electronic gadgets. Some experts estimate that only 21 percent of the country’s total e-waste gets properly recycled.
Lee Joo-hong is with the Green Consumers Network. He says the averageSouth Korean buys a new mobile phone every 18 months. He says companies offer special deals to buy new products.
He says, “People change their phones so quickly partially because companiesoffer big subsidies to buy new products. And Korean consumers do not wantto feel left out by not having the latest model.”
Ji Un-geun agrees with Lee Joo-hong. He says that consumer behavior is abig reason why old phones continue to appear at the recycling center. But hesays he is doing his part to reduce that. He says, “I have had this same phone for 10 years. It is what I can do to help conserve our natural resources”
He says that more South Korean cities need to start their own recyclingprograms to keep up with the increasing amount of e-waste.
Source: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/south-korea-reuse-electronic-waste-recycle/2515232.html
Image Source: http://rotwnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/E-WASTE-Cartoon.jpg]
VOCABULARY:
extract – v. to remove something by pulling it out or cutting it out
gadgets – n. small, useful devices
subsidies – n. money that is paid usually by a government to keep the priceof a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue tofunction
toxic – adj. containing poisonous substances
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. How do you get rid of electronic gadgets that you don't use/need anymore?
2. How would recycling be benificial to individual consumers?
3. What are the possible long term effects if e-waste go unattended?
4. Name ways on how to recycle e-waste.
