Now, let’s talk about disposable electronics. These are electronic devices that are intended to be used once or a few times and then thrown away. They are often found in everyday items like batteries, electronic toys, and yes, digital pregnancy tests.
However, the question of whether their use should be discouraged is a complex one. On one hand, disposable electronics can be convenient and cost-effective for certain applications. On the other hand, they can contribute to electronic waste, which is a growing environmental concern. Therefore, it’s important to consider these factors when deciding to use disposable electronics.
Definition of disposable electronics
Disposable electronics, as the term implies, are electronic devices that are meant to be thrown away after use. While some might argue that this includes items that can be recycled, the truth is that “disposable” refers to items that are meant to be discarded, not recycled. If they were meant to be recycled or reused, they would be called “recyclable electronics” or “reusable electronics”.
The widespread use of disposable electronics has only become possible due to several technological advancements. These include the development of inexpensive semiconductors, the ability to print components like carbon resistors, and the ability to produce these devices on a large scale using fully automated processes.
How can disposable electronics be found?
Disposable electronics are used in a variety of fields, from healthcare to scientific research. One recent trend, although not strictly an electronic product, is the use of single-use phone chargers. These devices are essentially small batteries with a USB connector that can be a lifesaver when you need to charge your phone but don’t have access to a power source. These one-time-use power units can provide up to 50% charge to a phone and can be discarded after use.
A common example of disposable electronics is the chips found in printer cartridges. These tiny circuit boards contain a memory chip and a few other components that allow the printer to read the estimated ink levels and verify the cartridge’s authenticity. Once the cartridge is empty, it is discarded, chip and all.
Another type of disposable electronics that is expected to become more popular soon is smart asset trackers. Similar to a security NFC tag, these devices can incorporate a microcontroller, an antenna, and all other necessary hardware into a single sticker. This sticker can monitor its environment, log data, and report its findings. These can be particularly useful in asset tracking applications where the cargo being transported is sensitive to its environment. This allows the shipping company to take responsibility for any failures, ensuring a higher quality transportation service.
The Example of the Digital Pregnancy Test
Recently, a hardware researcher named Foone decided to dissect a digital pregnancy test to understand how it works. Upon disassembly, Foone was surprised to find that the digital pregnancy test used the same paper materials found in manual pregnancy tests. A microcontroller circuit would illuminate the resulting lines, read them back with light sensors, and display “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant” on a small integrated LCD screen.
This example of disposable electronics is considered somewhat wasteful because it uses electronics to read something that most users can already read, while charging up to four times more for the test. The term “digital” can also mislead users into thinking that the test is more accurate than manual tests. Inside the test, there appears to be a small tablet; however, this tablet is actually a toxic moisture absorber. A dangerous online theory suggests that the tablet is an emergency pill, which it is not.
However, it’s important to dispel some of the panic surrounding the digital pregnancy test. A common theme among readers and reports is that the microcontroller used is powerful and has more processing power than the first IBM computers. While this is true, it’s important to note that by today’s standards, the microcontroller is incredibly cheap and easy to produce. Therefore, the “complexity” of a device does not necessarily relate to the amount of waste it produces, nor does it suggest that it is more expensive to manufacture. For an extra £1, such a microcontroller could include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even NFC on a die that would be almost too small to see with the naked eye.
What are the environmental hazards associated with disposable electronics?
It might seem wasteful to throw away electronics, but it’s important to consider the bigger picture. One common worry is that harmful chemicals from unused electronics might leak into the environment. However, regulations like RoHS and REACH have significantly reduced the number of potentially harmful chemicals in electronics. Plus, electronics don’t break down easily; a circuit that takes 10,000 years to break down would release waste at a relatively slow rate. This is similar to radioactive waste; waste with a very long half-life isn’t highly radioactive and therefore does little damage.
While it might seem like a lot of materials are wasted, consider the size of silicon dies and how many can be made from a single wafer. For example, a single 300mm wafer can produce over 6000 dies if each die is 3x3mm. That’s a lot of silicon, even at 250nm feature sizes.
The environmental impact of e-waste is more likely to come from older electronics or those from countries that don’t follow RoHS and REACH regulations. Heavy metals like lead and mercury were commonly used in past electronics, and lead solder is still commercially used in the US. These electronics could pose long-term environmental risks. However, as RoHS and REACH components become more common, future disposable electronics will likely have a much smaller environmental impact.
Should we stop using disposable electronics?
Whether we should stop using disposable electronics depends on several factors. These include the type of item being discarded, the materials it’s made from, the potential for these materials to harm the environment, and the scarcity of key natural resources.
Most disposable electronics contain a silicon chip, and silicon is abundant. Other materials used in common chips, like tin, aluminium, copper, boron, and phosphorus, are also readily available with large reserves on Earth. However, the environmental damage caused by mining these materials is another factor to consider.
There are many types of disposable products, such as cardboard shipping crates, plastic bags, and printed labels. Most of these can be easily recycled or incinerated, but electronics aren’t as easy to recycle. So, we need to weigh the cost of recycling against the potential environmental harm. The harm might not be as significant as it seems at first glance.
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