Aside from the clear financial benefits to the user of selling old handsets to mobile phone recycling companies, there is the environmental benefits of responsible recycling and re-use. The growing dangers of uncontrolled e-waste disposal are becoming increasingly evident in India.
Many desperately poor children spend their days taking electronic equipment to bits rather than attending school. This “informal” e-waste disposal industry is growing rapidly and is being fed continually by the propensity of consumers and businesses to discard more and more electronic products. On current trends India is expected to be producing 8 times the amount of redundant mobile phones in 2020 than in 2007.
A study of 250 people working as recyclers and dismantlers in New Delhi during the 12 months ending in October 2009 has revealed that the majority were suffering with respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. Blood and urine samples found lead, mercury and chromium at dangerously high levels of between 10 and 20 times above normal. These damage respiratory, urinary, digestive and immune systems and cause cancer. The crude process of extracting minute quantities of precious metals and use of chemicals results in exposure to toxic materials, poisons and acidic fumes. Safety clothing and equipment are rarely used and workers are oblivious to the dangers they face. It would make no difference anyway, when most are faced with the choice of working in such conditions or dying from hunger.