Wednesday, 16 June 2021
10:00-11:30h (EDT, Washington DC)
Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing domestic waste stream in the world. In 2019, according to the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste were produced worldwide, but only 17.4% of this was recorded as collected and appropriately recycled. The fate of the remaining e-waste is unknown, and it is likely that it was not managed and recycled in a healthy and environmentally-sound manner. Some e-waste ends up in landfills, while significant amounts are shipped to low- and middle-income countries, often illegally and adding significant burdens to local hazardous waste management infrastructure. Here, informal workers, including children and adolescents, pick through, dismantle, burn, or use acid baths to obtain valuable metals and materials from e-waste items.
Informal methods of extracting valuable materials from e-waste are potentially dangerous to the environment and to human health, particularly to that of children. Informal e-waste recycling activities have been linked to a whole range of health effects. Children, adolescents, and pregnant women are at increased risk to health effects associated with e-waste recycling as they are going through vital stages of physical and neurological development. On 15 June 2021, the World Health Organization releases its first comprehensive report – Children and Digital Dumpsites – on the dimensions of the problem; the pathways through which children are exposed; the health effects associated with the different pathways of exposure; and actions that the health sector can take alongside other sectors to confront this new and insidious health risk globally, nationally, and locally.
Objectives
This webinar organized by PAHO discusses the main findings from the report, the scope of the e-waste issue in Latin America, the role of the World Health Organization in tackling and raising awareness of the health effects linked to e-waste in the region and discusses case studies from diverse contexts and organizations working in the region on e-waste.
Agenda
| Welcome remarks. Introduction of presenters |
Dr. Marcelo Korc Unit Chief, Climate Change and Environmental Determinants of Health, PAHO/WHO |
| The Global context: WHO program on children's health and the environment. Launching of the book:” Children and Digital Dumpsites e-waste exposure and child health” |
Dr. Maria Neira Director Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO |
| A summary for decision-makers: “Children and Digital Dumpsites: e-waste exposure and child health” | Dr. Marie-Noel Brune-Drisse Children’s Environmental Health Chemical Safety and Health Unit Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO |
PAHO’s agenda on health, the environment and climate change
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Dr. Marcelo Korc |
| The PAHO-UNIDO Project on e-waste and children’s health | Dr. Agnes Soares Regional Advisor, Environmental Epidemiology Climate Change and Environmental Health, PAHO/WHO |
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Dr. Madeleyne Villa Astaca Técnico en Salud Ambiental Programa Nacional de Salud Ambiental, Ministerio de Salud y Deportes de Bolivia |
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Eng. Atala Milord Jefa de la Unidad Ambiental Sectorial de la Subdirección General de Salud Ambiental del Ministerio de Salud |
| E-waste and children’s health in Mexico: a case study | Dr. Fernando Díaz-Barriga División de Estudios Superiores para la Equidad Centro Colaborador OMS/OPS para la Evaluación de Riesgos en Salud y Salud Ambiental Infantil Facultad de Medicina - Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí - México |
| E-waste and children’s health in Uruguay: the response of the health sector | Prof. Dr. Amalia Laborde García Directora, Departamento de Toxicología - CIAT Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de la República, Hospital de Clínicas Centro Colaborador de la OMS en Toxicología Ambiental Humana Montevideo Uruguay |
| Latin America project on electronic waste (PREAL) | Mr. Carlos A. Hernández S. LAC E-Waste Project Coordinator UNIDO |
| Discussion How and why to put together a plan of action on e-waste having children's health at the center and as its main focus |
Dr. Agnes Soares (moderator) |
| Final remarks Closure of the session |
Dr. Marcelo Korc |