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Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world, and most of it doesn’t go away. Devices are getting smaller, faster and cheaper, but the materials inside them often outlast the products themselves. This is creating a growing pile of waste that has to be managed at end of life. Unfortunately, current systems can’t keep up with the volume that’s being produced. According to the World Health Organization (WHO):
- E-waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world.
- At last count, about 62 million tons of e-waste were produced globally. • Only 22.3% of that e-waste was documented, formally collected and recycled.
- Lead is a common substance released into the environment when e-waste is recycled, stored or dumped using informal activities, including open burning.
- Informal e-waste recycling activities may have several adverse health effects. Children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable.
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) and WHO estimate that millions of women and child laborers working in the informal recycling sector globally may be exposed to hazardous e-waste.
This puts pressure on manufacturers, regulators and other stakeholders to think harder about how electronics are designed, used and ultimately disposed of. It’s also putting a spotlight on alternative options like biodegradable electronics that break down after use instead of adding to the waste stream.
What are Biodegradable Electronics?
When most people hear “biodegradable,” they think compost bins, paper straws or that takeout container that’s not supposed to take 1,000 years to break down in the landfill. Electronics don’t usually make that list, but that could soon change if biodegradable options start to gain traction.
By definition, biodegradable electronics are bio-based electronic components that dissolve harmlessly in natural settings. Unlike traditional electronics, they offer a sustainable life cycle and help lighten the e-waste burden. “By leveraging biological and chemical principles, these devices enhance the synergy between technology and nature,” ScrapsIndustries, Inc., explains.
The foundation of biodegradable electronics lies in their materials. Utilized substances include organic polymers derived from plants, carbon-based conductive materials like graphene and metals with low environmental impact, such as magnesium and zinc. “The selection of these renewable electronic materials ensures the devices are both functional and environmentally friendly,” it adds.
So what do biodegradable electronics actually look like in real life? One of the most common examples is temporary medical sensors that monitor temperature or healing after surgery and then dissolve in the body, eliminating the need for removal. There are also biodegradable sensors that can be placed in soil to track moisture or nutrients that break down after a growing season, and small electronic tags that monitor food freshness and degrade after disposal.
A Work in Progress
Do biodegradable electronics offer a promising solution for tackling the e-waste problem? Susan Fourtané believes so, and highlights the possibilities in “Biodegradable electronics: The rise of sustainable tech.” Along with having a sustainable lifecycle that reduces e-waste, biodegradable electronics have a wide variety of applications in biomedical devices, environmental monitoring, the military and transient consumer electronics such as wearables.
“Even though biodegradable electronics aren’t yet being mass produced, we can already see prototypes at tech industry events such as the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC),” Fourtané says. There, Fairphone showcased a sustainable smartphone designed to be modular and easily repairable. The phone is made with over 51% fair and recycled materials, and is 100% e-waste neutral.
Over the next decade, Fourtané predicts that biodegradable electronics will be used in temporary implants such as neural probes, cardiac pacemakers and drug delivery systems. And by 2050, she envisions biodegradable electronics being fully integrated into mainstream consumer goods, healthcare and IoT devices.
