ABSTRACT
Exposures to the toxic element mercury (Hg) are exceptionally high among recycling workers globally. Recycling is a growing sector in Colombia, yet workers who directly handle e-waste are often unaware of the risks of exposure to mercury from post-consumer lighting products (e.g., fluorescent lamps). This qualitative study aimed to understand how recycling workers perceive their own risks from mercury exposure and how they find information about these risks, through interviews (n = 35) at the three largest formal recycling facilities in Colombia. Workers' risk perception was generally disconnected from their likely actual exposure to mercury, instead often seen juxtaposed to co-workers who worked more directly with hazardous waste. Recycling workers, who were predominantly men from lower-income socioeconomic backgrounds, had limited knowledge of health risks due to mercury exposure and were more likely to receive health-related information from informal sources. Over a third of interviewees had searched online for information about occupational health risks of mercury, but these searches were perceived as unsatisfactory due to information being difficult to find, not available in Spanish, or related to mercury exposure via seafood or mining rather than recycling. Workers expressed (over)confidence in personal protective equipment and concern about frequent employee turnover. This study points to weaknesses in environmental health literacy and public health communication around toxic exposures to mercury in the workplace. Stronger regulation and enforcement are needed to prevent toxic exposures and promote worker health equity.
Subject(s)
Electronic Waste , Mercury , Occupational Exposure , Colombia , Humans , Male , Mercury/analysis , Occupational Exposure/analysis , PerceptionABSTRACT
RESUMEN El avance tecnológico ha traído consigo la generación de residuos de celulares y tabletas. Esta tendencia seguirá en aumento, dado el fácil acceso a estos dispositivos. En el siguiente estudio, se relaciona la incidencia del nivel de escolaridad, sobre las actitudes y las percepciones, que se tienen sobre el manejo de los residuos provenientes de celulares y de tabletas, con el fin de ahondar en esta problemática y aportar insumos para la creación de estrategias y de políticas encaminadas al desarrollo sustentable. Para esto, se aplicó una encuesta a 450 personas que habitan en la ciudad de Florencia - Caquetá, Colombia. Se realizó un test de independencia, que permitió decidir si el nivel de escolaridad incide sobre las actitudes y las percepciones. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que no existe tal dependencia con las actitudes, pero sí con las percepciones, lo que demuestra la inconsistencia del ser humano entre lo que piensa y cómo actúa. Un hallazgo relevante en el presente estudio es que, en su gran mayoría, estos dispositivos o sus partes, después de un tiempo, terminan en la basura, junto con los residuos convencionales.
SUMMARY The technological advance has brought with it the generation of cell and tablet waste. This trend will continue to increase, given the easy access to these devices. In the following study, the incidence of schooling level is related to attitudes and perceptions about the handling of cell and tablet waste, in order to deepen this problem and provide inputs for the creation of strategies and policies aimed at sustainable development. For this, a survey was applied to 450 people living in the city of Florencia Caquetá Colombia. An independence test was carried out, which allowed to decide if the level of schooling affects attitudes and perceptions. The results obtained indicated that there is no such dependence on attitudes, but with perceptions, this shows the human being's lack of balance between what he thinks and how he acts. A relevant finding in the present study, is that the vast majority of these devices or their parts, after a while end up in the trash, along with conventional waste.
ABSTRACT
Actualmente, el manejo integral de los residuos sólidos ordinarios resulta un reto para todas las naciones del mundo, con implicaciones ambientales en el suelo, agua y atmosfera. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue realizar un primer análisis de los residuos sólidos (plástico, vidrio, papel, y RAEE) registrados en un pequeño relicto de bosque del área de interés paisajístico Alonso Vera, localizado en el municipio de Girardot (Cundinamarca). La recolección y clasificación de los residuos se realizó el 14 de marzo de 2013 desde las 8:00 a.m. hasta las 11:00 a.m. con un esfuerzo de captura de 10 personas/sendero-márgenes, empleando elementos de protección como guantes y tapabocas para el pesaje de los residuos. En el relicto de bosque se recolectó en un día un total de 94 kg de residuos sólidos, siendo los RAEE y plásticos los más abundantes con 24,5 kg y 17 kg respectivamente. De este modo, se concluye preliminarmente que el relicto de bosque está siendo alterado principalmente por la disposición de plásticos y RAEE, siendo preocupante que la descomposición de estos residuos representa un riego para la salud humana e integridad de los ecosistemas.
Currently, the comprehensive management of ordinary solid waste becomes a challenge for all nations in the world, with environmental implications in soil, water and atmosphere. Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform a first analysis of solid waste (plastic, glass, paper, and WEEE) registered in a small relict forest of the Alonso Vera landscape zone, located in the municipality of Girardot (Cundinamarca). The collection and classification of waste was carried out on March 14, 2013 from 8:00 am until 11:00 am, with a capture effort of 10 people / forest trails, using protective gear such as gloves and masks for weighing the residue..In the forest relict a total of 94 kg of solid waste was collected in one day, being WEEE and plastic the most abundant with 24.5 kg and 17 kg respectively. This way, it is preliminarily concluded that the forest relict is being influenced mainly by the disposal of plastics and WEEE, matter of concern since the decomposition of this waste represents a risk to human health and the ecosystem integrity.