The Impact of E Waste Toxicity - An Emerging Global Challenge

The management of e waste has become a global challenge due to its sheer volume, and the presence of toxic and hazardous chemicals that are a threat to the environment and health. This article reviews the present status of E waste toxicity and its adverse impact on the environment and human health. The continuous increase in the volume of the e waste generation in the past few years and it's improper disposal, exposes the populations to the potentially hazardous substances and toxins. Most of the toxicity data has come from the populations exposed to e waste such as the informal recyclers and those living in or near e waste dumpsites. Though the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of individual components of the e waste such as heavy metals and the organic pollutants has been established, the complex mechanisms and pathways by which the toxicity affects the cells and the DNA are still not very clear. The aim of writing this review is to bring the attention of the international scientific community to this serious issue, and to urgently focus on finding plausible solutions for efficient and sustainable management of e waste to minimize the threat to the human health and the environment.