In the recycling stage of printers, pollution results in the form of emission and waste that negatively impact land and water by contaminating them. There are several legislations such as Waste Management Law 1970, which was amended in the years 1991, 1992, and 1994, the Law of Promotion of Use of Recycle Waste or Recycling Promotion Law 1991, etc have emphasized on disposal and recycling stages in the life cycle (Goldman, 2013). But, as a matter of fact, these stages represent most evident environmental threats. During recycling, toxic effects associated with disassembling or melting of lead are produced (Sundaram, Spearing & Vienna, 2012). There are many printers that contain lead, and during the stage of recycling lead are melted, as a result of which dangerous elements enter into the environment, and pose serious threat. However, there are also exposure risks at disposal stage of life cycle. Further, printer is a complex mixture of several small components, most of which are poisonous, deadly, and dangerous chemicals. All these chemicals, however, are a strain on the environment. Sometimes printers as well as other electronic products are recycled and disposed improperly with the domestic waste, which paves the way to contamination of water, air, and soil. This occurs because no control is exercised during disposal or recycling. They should be handled properly, and recycled in a proper manner. The problem of electronic waste is increasing at a global level, because majority of the companies in the United States are exporting their electronic waste to the developing countries. When recycling of printers and other electronic products is done in a responsible manner, not only local community is benefitted, but the entire world is impacted in a positive manner.
Printers contain lead, and lead in the recycling stage of printers wreaks havoc to the environment by adding harmful elements and chemicals, thus causing significant damage to the environment.
References
Goldman, B. (2013). Hazardous Waste Management: Reducing the Risk. Island Press, Washington, D.C
Sundaram, S.K., Spearing, D.R., & Vienna, J.D. (2012). Environmental Issues and Waste Management Technologies in the Ceramic and Nuclear Industries VIII. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey
