Old phones forgotten in drawers, dead batteries, and unused electronic devices threaten the environment.
Environmental Health Specialist Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan stated that waste batteries and electronic devices accumulated in homes pose a serious threat to the environment and human health. Karan said, “Current data show that the annual amount of electronic waste generated in Turkey is approximately 1 million tons, but only about 6–7% of this can be collected through registered systems.”
Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan, Head of Üsküdar University Health Services Vocational School Environmental Health Program, drew attention to the risks to environmental and human health from waste accumulated in homes, from waste batteries to old electronic devices.
Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan pointed out that waste batteries and electronic devices that have reached the end of their useful life, accumulating in homes, pose significant risks to environmental and human health due to the toxic and hazardous components they contain. She said, “The uncontrolled disposal of these wastes along with household waste causes the harmful substances they contain to be released into the environment over time as a result of physical and chemical degradation. Especially heavy metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and lithium (Li) found in the structure of waste batteries and electronic devices pose a serious environmental threat. These metals can disrupt ecosystem balance by mixing with soil, groundwater, and surface water. One of the most important properties of heavy metals is that they do not easily decompose in nature and exhibit bioaccumulation. This leads to their accumulation in living organisms through the food chain and becoming more concentrated at higher trophic levels due to biomagnification.”
Assessing it from a human health perspective, Karan noted that lead, in particular, exhibits toxic effects on the nervous system, potentially causing cognitive developmental disorders and neurological damage. She stated, “Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin with adverse effects on the central nervous system and kidney functions. Cadmium is associated with kidney damage, decreased bone mineral density, and cancer risk. Nickel can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Furthermore, lithium-containing batteries carry a risk of fire and explosion in case of improper storage or physical damage.”
Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan also emphasized that uncontrolled burning of electronic waste can release dioxins, furans, and other toxic gases into the atmosphere, leading to air pollution and indirect health risks. She stated, “Therefore, the separate collection of waste batteries and electronic waste from household waste, their processing in licensed recycling facilities, and management with appropriate disposal methods are of great importance for environmental sustainability, the protection of natural resources, and safeguarding public health.”
Karan stated, “Electronic waste, or e-waste for short, refers to electrical and electronic equipment that has completed its useful life, lost its function, or become economically unusable. In this context, mobile phones, computers, televisions, small household appliances, cables, batteries, and similar technological devices are classified as e-waste. The main feature distinguishing e-waste from other waste types is that it contains both highly valuable recyclable materials and toxic components that pose risks to the environment and human health.”
Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan stated, “While the structure of electronic waste contains valuable recyclable materials such as copper, gold, silver, aluminum, and rare earth elements, it also includes harmful substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants.” She added that the effective management of e-waste is therefore important not only for environmental protection but also for resource efficiency and economic sustainability.
Instructor Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan, pointing out the development of electronic waste management in Turkey in recent years, continued as follows:
“According to the data from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the general recycling rate reached 36.08 percent in 2024, and this rate is aimed to be increased to 60 percent by 2035. However, collection and recycling rates specific to electronic waste remain below the general waste recycling rates. Current data show that the annual amount of electronic waste generated in Turkey is approximately 1 million tons, but only about 6–7% of this can be collected through registered systems. This situation indicates that the collection infrastructure in e-waste management needs to be strengthened and social awareness needs to be increased. Therefore, the main objective in electronic waste management is to include these wastes in recycling processes without harming the environment, to reintroduce valuable materials into the economy, and to dispose of toxic components in a controlled manner.”
Karan stated that disposing of waste batteries with household waste poses serious environmental risks. She said, “Used batteries should not be disposed of with normal household waste because they contain heavy metals and toxic chemical components that pose risks to the environment and human health. Substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and lithium found in battery structures can leach into the environment as their physical integrity degrades after their useful life. When sent to landfills with household waste, these toxic components can mix with soil and groundwater over time, causing environmental pollution. Especially the persistence of heavy metals in nature and their bioaccumulation property create long-term adverse effects on the ecosystem and food chain. From a human health perspective, these substances are associated with neurological disorders, kidney damage, respiratory problems, and various toxic effects. Moreover, lithium-based batteries also carry a risk of fire and explosion if stored under improper conditions. Therefore, the separate collection of used batteries and their channeling to licensed recycling and disposal systems is a mandatory practice for environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and the protection of public health.”
Karan, emphasizing the importance of individual awareness to reduce e-waste generation in homes, said, “There are various practical steps individuals can take in their daily lives to reduce electronic waste and waste battery accumulation in homes. First, reducing unnecessary electronic product consumption and adopting needs-oriented purchasing behavior is important. Extending the lifespan of electronic devices is one of the fundamental approaches to preventing e-waste generation. Furthermore, bringing usable electronic devices back into use through maintenance and repair or selling them second-hand reduces the amount of waste. Devices that have reached the end of their useful life should be handed over to the systems of municipalities, authorized collection points, or licensed recycling organizations without being mixed with household waste. In battery use, preferring rechargeable batteries instead of single-use batteries is an important waste reduction strategy. Additionally, accumulating used batteries at home and depositing them in battery collection boxes in markets, schools, or municipalities contributes to reducing environmental risks.”
Providing information on the recycling processes of old phones and computers, Tuğçe Yılmaz Karan continued:
“The recycling of old phones, computers, and similar electronic devices should be carried out systematically to reduce environmental risks and reintroduce valuable resources into the economy. These devices should first be collected separately from household waste and delivered to authorized collection centers or licensed recycling facilities. This is because electronic devices contain both valuable recyclable metals and toxic components that can harm the environment. The recycling process generally occurs in several stages. In the first stage, devices must be checked for data security and personal data must be completely erased. Then, devices are classified according to their components in sorting facilities. Plastic, glass, metal, and electronic circuit boards are separated from each other and directed to different recycling processes. Especially valuable metals such as gold, copper, silver, and palladium found in circuit boards can be recovered using special methods. In addition, hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium found in batteries, screens, and some circuit elements are disposed of in a controlled manner.”
Karan stated that carrying out these processes in licensed facilities is of great importance. She said, “Because unregistered or uncontrolled recycling practices can lead to the spread of toxic substances into the environment and create serious risks for human health. Therefore, the proper inclusion of electronic devices in the recycling system is a fundamental requirement for both environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.”
Karan stated that the circular economy approach will gain more importance in e-waste management in the future. She said, “Innovations and policies that stand out in e-waste management in the future are mostly shaped around circular economy-based approaches. Moving away from the traditional 'produce-use-dispose' model, systems aiming to extend product life cycles and reduce waste generation at the source are coming to the forefront. In this context, one of the most important policies is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) implementations. In this approach, producers are held responsible not only for the production phase of a product but also for its collection, recycling, and disposal processes after its useful life. This system directs producers to design more durable, repairable, and recyclable products. In recent years, strengthening legal regulations and expanding the scope in this regard has attracted attention. Furthermore, the eco-design approach is one of the important components of the future. Considering criteria such as disassemblability, reparability, and suitability for material recovery during the design phase of electronic products increases recycling efficiency. In parallel, 'right to repair' policies are also becoming widespread. These policies support consumers in being able to use their products for a longer period.”
Regarding technological innovations, Karan pointed out that artificial intelligence and digital tracking systems are coming to the fore. She stated, “AI-supported sorting technologies enable faster and more accurate classification of electronic waste; applications like digital product passports increase the traceability of product content and life cycle. This, in turn, makes recycling processes more efficient. The main goal in future e-waste management is not just to dispose of waste, but to increase resource efficiency and minimize environmental impacts by keeping products in the system for as long as possible. In this regard, policies, technology, and consumer behavior must transform together.”
