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Environment & Climate vocabulary · Waste and Recycling

E-waste

Meaning in environment & climate, with examples

/ˈiː weɪst/nounCommon term

In environment & climate, e-waste means: Discarded electrical and electronic equipment, such as phones, computers, TVs, fridges and cables, which contains valuable metals as well as hazardous materials.

In Turkish: elektronik atık, atık elektrikli ve elektronik eşya (AEEE)

How it is used

Short for electronic waste; regulations also use WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment). E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams, and only a small share is formally collected and recycled. Proper recycling recovers gold, copper and rare metals and prevents pollution.

Example sentences

  1. Old laptops are collected as e-waste and sent to a licensed recycler.

  2. Informal e-waste recycling exposes workers to lead and mercury.

Common collocations

  • e-waste recycling
  • e-waste collection
  • WEEE
  • electronic waste
  • hazardous wasteWaste that can harm people or the environment because it is toxic, flammable, corrosive or reactive, such as used oils, solvents, batteries and medical waste.
  • recyclingThe process of collecting used materials such as paper, glass, metal and plastic and turning them into raw materials or new products.
  • extended producer responsibility (EPR)A policy approach that makes producers responsible, financially and sometimes physically, for collecting and recycling their products and packaging after use.
  • waste managementThe collection, transport, sorting, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste, together with the planning and monitoring of these activities.

More terms: Waste and Recycling

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