E-Waste.

Through the column of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the pressing matter of electronic waste in Pakistan.

Electronic waste is referred to as any hazardous substance, such as lead, mercury, etc., generated as a result of discarded electronic equipment. Such material is capable of posing a serious risk to human health and the environment.

As per the Global E-waste Monitor Report 2020, 53.6 million metric tons of E-waste has been produced worldwide in 2019. With reference to Pakistan, 433 kilotons of E-scrap have been generated in 2020, according to the 2021 UN report titled 'Children and Digital Dumpsites'. Moreover, the recent publication of the Asian Development Bank titled 'Solid Waste Management Sector in Pakistan: A Reform Road Map for Policy Makers' stated that the production of E-waste in Pakistan is 1.68 kilograms per capita per year.

Be that as it may, informal E-waste recycling practices by workers, including men and children, have led to the development of many health-related...