Toxic legacy

As smartphones, laptops, and other gadgets become more and more essential in our daily lives, there’s a growing problem that simply cannot be ignored: what happens to all our old electronics once they stop working?

According to a United Nations report, 62 million tons of e-waste were generated in 2022, enough to circle the globe if packed into trucks, yet the recycling rate continues to lag far behind.

Like many other countries, Jamaica faces a challenge with proper electronic waste (e-waste) management and disposal, but the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) says it is working to manage this growing demand.

“The NSWMA and its regional bodies serve as collection points for persons to drop off their e-waste,” explained Aretha McFarlane, NSWMA operations director. “In the regions, the e-waste is temporarily stored until enough has been accumulated. Our e-waste truck then collects and transports the waste to an e-waste exporter who sorts, processes, and ships the materials to be reused in new products.”

Between April 2023 and March 2025, the agency collected 1,849 e-waste items. At just the tip of the iceberg, the agency still faces an even bigger challenge.

“Many persons still dispose of e-waste in regular garbage. For example, cell phones, tablets, batteries,” said McFarlane. “Other persons dump the e-waste in communal bins or by illegal dumpsites.”

Not only do electronics take up space in landfills, but they can also leak harmful substances like mercury and lead into the soil and water.

But McFarlane says that on the brighter side, commercial entities are getting rid of their e-waste correctly.

“As it relates to commercial entities, we have observed greater compliance from commercial entities disposing of e-waste, as more and more they are contacting the NSWMA to collect their e-waste,” she added. “It is hoped that this positive trend will continue.”

Meanwhile, the authority is also working hard to spread awareness by highlighting International E-Waste Day every year on October 14, with outreach events in communities and schools.

“As part of the authority’s public education campaign, the teams continuously seek to sensitise persons … about the dangers associated with disposing e-waste improperly,” McFarlane said.

That message is shared through pamphlets, social media, and the NSWMA’s Citizens’ Guide, which is also available on its website.

While education is a major part of this movement, others are looking to the future and creating innovative ways to incorporate more biodegradable materials.

Water-soluble plastic

One new idea gaining attention globally is Aquafade, which is a fully water-soluble plastic developed in the UK. It dissolves in water within six hours, making it easier to recycle valuable electronic components while getting rid of the outer shell.

“For most electronic products, when they’re being recycled, it’s the disassembly that’s the real hassle, and really labour-intensive” Samuel Wangsaputra, one of the inventors of Aquafade, was quoted as saying in a CNN article. “I think the brilliant bit with Aquafade is that a lot of that process is decentralised, and simply done at home.”

Aquafade could be used in everything from computers to LED wristbands, making it easier for people to dispose of electronics without needing a specialised facility. After the Aquafade dissolves, it leaves behind “milky water”, but Wangsaputra says it’s safe to pour down the drain and will break down further in the sewage system.

But this idea is still being developed, especially as Aquafade currently costs about twice as much as traditional plastic, and scientists are still studying how well it breaks down in the environment.

But, one question remains: is this something Jamaica is ready for?

McFarlane says that the NSWMA is open to innovation.

“Aquafade solution is a relatively new phenomenon. The environment within which we operate continues to change, and we also change with the times,” she said. “We welcome technology and will seek ways to incorporate same even more into our operations.”

Still, she emphasised that the authority’s current priority is education and compliance. “Considering the environmental hazard and risks such as fires on disposal sites, mercury seeping into underground water, and more, associated with disposing of e-waste improperly, the authority is taking the critical first steps to get increased compliance.”

Environmental groups like the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) echo this need for systemic change in how electronics are made and discarded. “The problem that we have with e-waste is that the technology has moved [to] where you don’t really repair things any more, and so you just replace,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET.

“We need to go back to how we were…where we replace things, we repair things if they need to be repaired. Once upon a time, when a toaster went bad, you didn’t just throw it out. You fixed it.”

For Rodriguez-Moodie, the larger issue is how modern products are designed, especially phones that have built-in batteries or components that aren’t replaceable. So, users are forced to throw it away and get a new one.

She believes that this trend towards non-repairable products, along with limited recycling options, is worsening the waste problem, with even repair efforts facing legal pushback in some countries.

Rodriguez-Moodie believes that any new material, like Aquafade, needs careful vetting. “Plastics in their current form are not biodegradable. It has to be a different type of material that is biodegradable,” she said. “If that is something that is feasible, it is something that should be explored and pushed.”

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com