The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mohammad Pervez, Md. Zahid Hossain, Ahmed Wasimul Bari

The word 'Hello' is vastly related with the telecommunication and mostly said word in the world. Telecommunication plays vital role in modern world as it has positive relation with the economic development of any country. Among the major two types (fixed and cell phone) of telecommunication system cell phones have had a significant impact on telephone networks. Cell phone subscriptions outnumber fixed-line subscriptions in many parts of the world telecommunication markets. Subscription of cell phones in the year 2005 numbered 816.6 million with that figure being almost equally shared amongst the markets of Asia/Pacific (204m), Western Europe (164m), CEMEA (Central Europe, the Middle East and Africa) (153.5m), North America (148m) and Latin America (102m). Considering only the new subscriptions over the five years from 1999, Africa has outpaced other markets with 58.2% growth. Cell phones are being serviced by systems where the voice content is transmitted digitally such as GSM or W-CDMA with many markets choosing to depreciate analogue systems such as AMPS. Cell phones are a popular and important means of modern communication and the technology has, and will continue, to revolutionise the way people live their lives and companies do business.

As mentioned earlier, for telecommunication with each other, we usually use telephones of two types i.e. the fixed phone and the cell phone, of which the use of latter is increasing rapidly day by day. Beside, as technologies are developing at an incredible speed, new features are added in cell phone every day and we, need to change our old model(s) to have the new ones. Just 10 to 15 years ago, cordless telephones or cell phones were something used only by big business and few elite. Now a large number of population use cell phone round the world. These communicators are being used by people seemingly talking to themselves everywhere in home and working places, in stores while shopping, while traveling by bus or train and even on the streets when waiting for transport. The benefits of cellular telephones are un-doubtedly numerous. They are also very useful in emergency situations and where access of fixed line phone is limited.

Technologies make our life easy. Telecommunication technology has developed rapidly at the end of last century. Especially innovation of mobility technology for telecommunication makes our life fast and transmission of information became very easy. This technology significantly improved our life style, fashion and economic activities. It even helps many people finding a new way of better livelihood. Recent report of GSM Associations, explaining the relationship between growth in cell phone penetration and GDP growth, for Bangladesh the growth rate in cell phone penetration in 2003-2004 was 101% and real GDP growth rate in 2004-2005 was 5.20%. During that same period it was found for India and Pakistan was 104%, 7.10% and 104%, 8.40% respectively. These data represent that the increasing number of cell phone penetration contributes in the growth of GDP. Cell phone technology helps us to exchange information smoothly and quickly. Once cell phone was used as a symbol of status and fashion but nowaday it has become necessity of modern life beyond fashion and status. Keeping this in mind, cell phone set manufacturers of this rapidly growing industry are introducing new sets with latest features in the market every day within a very affordable price.

However, technology that improves convenience often has a harmful side. Cell phone technology is no exception. Towers and antennas are sprouting up everywhere, powering billions of cell phones worldwide. The radio waves transmit electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and which can bring harm to human life if misuse or careless or overuse done by the subscribers. Hence, everyone should use them appropriately and wisely.

The industry standard lifetime of a cell phone is eight years and the battery is three years. But study shows that, on an average, subscribers usually keep their phones for a year and half, before trading them in for newer models. On the other hand, short life time of the rechargeable batteries are changed frequently or within 12 to 15 months on an average as they only cover six months warranty. After that period all, these beautiful cell phones turn into e-waste or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (W,EEE). The definition of e-waste refers to all old, end-of-life electronic appliances, including information technology equipment, office machines, telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, household equipment and accessories. In this study, authors refer to the e-waste mainly of cell phones. Affordable cell phone set price and attractive packages offer by the operators helps this industry grow faster and cheaper day by day. But unfortunately many subscribers, especially in a country like Bangladesh, with very-poor literacy rate, have no idea that these small devices contain a large number of hazardous substances, which can pollute the air when burned in incinerators and leach into soil and drinking water when buried in landfills.

Like other parts of the world, Bangladesh is one of the fast growing markets of cell phones and, especially last few years, the industry has developed so rapidly and doubled the market within last one and half year. According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) the present number of cell phone subscribers in. Bangladesh has reached 32.5 million at the end of July 2007 and the industry specialists are expecting 100m new subscribers by 2015. Though this rapid growing flow became slow after 9th June 2005 due to the new tax imposed on SIM card, but within few months the situation went back to as usual. At present Cell Phone Service Providers or Operators are working in Bangladesh and of them the market leader is Grameen Phone Ltd. with 15.73m subscribers and lowest by the Warid Telecom Int. the latest in the industry with 1.14m subscribers in less than one year of operation.

This present growth is very promising for cell phone industry; therefore the possible pollution issue needs to be addressed very seriously as the long term effect is very dangerous for human, animal or plant life. Many developed countries are now suffering from this hazardous pollution as they did not take any precaution at early stage of the cell phone booming. Recently many of these countries (USA, Canada, EU countries) are very serious of using environment friendly electronic equipment including cell phones and moreover they go for recycling of these unused or old cell phones or e-waste. They have already passed laws to stop this hazardous pollution of e-waste.

Many researchers have done works on measuring impact of telecome on economic growth, but unfortunately, none of those works address the e-waste and environmental issue. Specially in Bangladesh people have poor knowledge of e-waste and not yet serious about this e-waste pollutions or not even think of these kinds of e-waste pollution, and none other developed countries are helping us to create awareness on this issue, not even the local cell phone operators because of possible business losses.

Considering the huge number of cell phone subscriptions and the roll of economical development accomplished by using cell phones in Bangladesh, the authors have taken an initiative to measure the consumer's perception regarding the cell phone pollution and depending on that made some recommendations for subscribers, policy makers and other concerned bodies (NGOs, environment protection groups, cell phone service providers, set manufacturer or importers, etc.).

This article describes the study background including constituent of cell phone, growth of cell services in Bangladesh, E-waste's effect on human health and environment, trends in electronic waste recycling, identifying the objectives of the study, methodology followed for the study, the findings of the study and finally, authors draw recommendations and conclusions. Joanna Underwood, a senior executive of the Independent environmental research firm INFORM Inc. mentioned that, "cell phones are small wonderful, convenient, and everyone wants one, but it's also a small bundle of toxic materialsl1."Most of the toxic substances in cell phones are contained in the circuit board, the liquid crystal display of the screen, and the battery. Many of these toxic substances - including antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc - belong to a class of chemicals known as persistent toxins, which linger in the environment for long periods without breaking down. Some of them - including the metals lead and cadmium - also tend to accumulate in the tissues of plants and animals, building up in the food chain to dangerous levels even when released in very small quantities. In the 'Waste in the Wireless World', Nov ,2003 issue, cell phones (and similar other electronic devices) are described as an especially problematic component of the waste stream of present world. People ignored or misjudged their hazardous, effect due to the small size of these devices, Unused, non-functional, outdated or less-cool cell phones often are stuffed into drawers, eventually ending up in the trash. Researchers mentioned that this could result in severe environmental damage. INFORM ;Inc. in their study also estimates that the average cell phone is retired after about 18 months. So, more or less 32.5m cell phone in Bangladesh will produce tons of e-waste, including hazardous chemicals such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, lead, nickel and zinc as well as plastic and flame retardants within next 2 to 3 years. These chemicals can filter into soil and groundwater as well as produce toxic gases when trash is burned in incinerators.

These persistent, bioaccumulative toxins, or PSTS, have been associated with cancer and a range of reproductive, neurological, and developmental disorders. They pose a particular threat to children, whose developing systems are especially vulnerable to toxic assault. Most of the persistent toxins and, PBTs contained in cell phones are in the printed wiring board and liquid crystal display.

The PBT of greatest concern in cell phones is lead, a heavy metal recognised as a problem material throughout the world. Lead is a suspected carcinogen, has adverse effects on the central nervous system, immune system, and kidneys, and has been linked to developmental abnormalities. Its main application in cell phones and other electronic products is in the solder used to attach components to each other and to the printed wiring board. Within the European Union (EU), the Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products (RoHS Directive) mandates that, by July 1, 2006, no new electrical and electronic products put on the market in any of the EU's 15 member states may contain lead (among a handful, of other particularly hazardous substances). Numerous efforts are under way to find alternative to lead solder that do not compromise the performance of electronic products.

Another hazardous constituent of cell phones is brominated flame retardants, which are added to plastics to reduce the risk of fire. They are used primarily in the phones' printed wiring boards, cables and plastic housings. Research indicates that some brominated flame retardants can be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic, while the impacts of others are still being evaluated. Two categories of flame retardant - polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been associated with cancer and disruption of the immune and endocrine systems. In addition, some of these substances can form dioxins and furans, a group of highly toxic and persistent by-products of combustion, when products that contain them are incinerated or recycled. Like lead, the use of PBBs and PBDEs in electrical and electronic products sold in the EU is banned under the RoHS Directive beginning in July 2006.

The rechargeable batteries that power cell phones also contain a number of highly toxic substances. Through the mid-1990s, the most commonly used power source in cell phones was nickel-cadmium batteries (Ni-Cds). Cadmium is a PBT and probable human carcinogen that can cause lung, liver, and kidney damage and is toxic to wildlife. Because of its toxicity, cadmium is banned from electronic products under the EU's RoHS Directive. Lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries are increasingly replacing Ni-Cds in cell phones, but these contain cobalt, zinc, and copper - all heavy metals that can be toxic to plants, wildlife, and human beings. Although a system is in place - the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. (RBRC) to collect and recycle rechargeable batteries in the US, very few subscribers are aware of the programme and hence most of these batteries wind up in the trash.

Bangladesh has emerged as one of the top 10 cell phone markets in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of the number of subscribers. In the year 1989, the first cellular operator Bangladesh Telecom (Pvt) Limited (BTL) received licence to provide cell phone service. But the permission was transferred to Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (PBTL) who started their operation in 1993 under the brand name CityCel1. Grameen Phone, Aktel and Sheba were awarded licensees in 1997. After a period of declining market share,' Banglalink purchased Sheba's licence in 2004 and Singtel purchased most of the share of PBTL Warid got the licence in December 2005. The fixed line operator Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) also entered the market via Teletalk. The total number of cell phone subscribers has reached 32.5'rnillion at the end of July 2007. The cell phone tele-density has increased 23.23%. The cell phone subscriber base of operators is given in Table-1.

Recently, the industry has experienced explosive growth. Penetration stood at just 0.2% in 2000 but this rose to 6% by the end of 2005. Forecasters expect this to continue, bringing the subscriber base to 100 million by 2015. Factors contributing to this growth are low levels of teledensity, the limited performance of fixed-line operators, considerable foreign direct investment (FDI), and lower prices driven by increased competition and economies of scale.

It took the industry leader Grameen Phone six years to reach the one million subscriber mark in August 2003, about one more year to reach the second million mark in September 2004 and just about three years to attain the present 15. 73 million subscriber mark. Being the largest telecommunications service provider in the country, Grameen Phone is playing a crucial role in increasing the country's cell telephone penetration rate, which is still one of the lowest in the world with less than four telephones per 100 people. Along with the spectacular growth, since its inception on March 26,1997, Grameen Phone has the widest coverage in Bangladesh. The telecommunication regulatory commission BTRC set their mission to increase the teledensity to at least 10 telephones per 100 inhabitants by 2010 and establish a phone in every village by 2006. Industry experts are assuming that in a typical developing country like Bangladesh, an increase of 10 cell phones per 100 people may boost GDP growth by 0.6 percentage point.

Electronic wastes or e-wastes are the valuable source of secondary raw materials if they are properly recycled or reused. If these wastes are not taken care of properly it may turn into major source of toxins and carcinogens. Rapid technology development, reduced initial cost and planned obsolescence have caused the rapid generation of e-wastes, a fast growing problem around the globe. Electronic waste represents 2 percent of America's trash in landfills, but it equals 70 percent of overall toxic waste .

Due to lower environmental standards, weak legal framework and working conditions in Asian and African countries, electronic waste is being sent to these countries for processing, recycling, refurbishing, and reusing and most of the time illegally. Report shows that Delhi and Bangalore in India and Guiyu in Shantou region of China. have electronic waste processing areas. Uncontrolled burning, disassembly, and disposal are causing environmental and health problems, including occupational safety and health effects among those directly involved, due to the methods of processing the waste. Electronic waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. The chemicals contained in e-waste are a cocktail of dangerous pollutants that kill both the environment and humans slowly. Following are the most common e-wastes found in cell phone and the hazardous effects of these wastes are mentioned below:

The negative effects of lead have been well established since the use in gasoline was banned in the 1970's. Lead causes damage to central and peripheral nervous systems, Blood, Kidneys, Reproductive systems. Effects on the endocrine system have been observed and its serious negative effect on children's brain development are well documented. Lead accumulates in the environment and has effects on plants, animals and micro-organisms.

Cadmium compounds are toxic with a possible risk of irreversible effects on human health, and accumulate in the body, particularly the kidneys. The cadmium from a single phone is capable of polluting 158,200 gallons of water.

Mercury can cause damage to various organs including the brain and kidneys, as well as the fetus. Most importantly, the developing fetus is highly susceptible through maternal exposure to mercury. When inorganic mercury spreads out in the water, it is transformed to methylated mercury in the bottom sediments. methylated mercury easily accumulates in living organisms and concentrates through the food chain, particularly via fish.

Irritating to eyes and skin, harmful if swallowed, Possible risks of irreversible effects, May cause sensitisation by skin contact, Harmful to aquatic organism, may cause long term adverse effects in aquatic environment.

Brominated Flame Retardants can be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, while the impacts of others are still being evaluated. Two categories of flame retardant polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) - have been associated with cancer and disruption of the immune and endocrine systems. In addition, some of these substances can form dioxins and furans, a group of highly toxic and persistent.by-products of combustion.

During 1990s, European countries banned the disposal of electronic waste in landfills. This creaed an e-waste processing industry in Europe. In the year 2003 the EU presented the WEEE and/RoHS directives for implementation in 2005 and 2006. Meanwhile some states in the US developed policies barming CRTs from landfills. Some e-waste processing is carried out within the US. The processing may-be dismantling into metals, plastics and circuit boards or shredding of whole appliances. The state of California introduced 'Electronic Waste Recycling Fee' on all new monitors and televisions sold to cover the cost of recycling from 2004. The amount of the fee depends on the size of the monitor. The EU, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have already demanded that sellers and manufacturers of electronics be responsible for recycling 75% of them.

As the growth of cell phone is very promising in Bangladesh and hence urgent attention is needed to address the huge number of e-waste (old and end of life cell phones) going to add to our waste system very soon. Though the mission of BTRC is very hopeful and will and may bring economical development of the country, unfortunately, this will and may ,also create opportunity for possible creation of tonnes of e-waste pollutant by the growth of the cell phone density. So, developing electronic waste management policy for Bangladesh is very urgent and needs to start setting up recycling plant to handle the e-waste pollutant. Serious attention is needed to address the growing trend of e-waste in Bangladesh and we should take decisive steps to deal with the latest problem, before we are slowly, but surely, submerged in the cocktail of poisonous chemicals. This sure-come digital disaster should be considered seriously as many believe that a good number of e-waste are transported or dumped to developing countries by the developed countries, resulting cheap cell phone with bundle of health hazard chemicals that we could hardly prepared to handle. As this digital disaster will and may increase the healthcare cost of the developing countries by causing various types of cancer, consumers of Bangladesh should have awareness of this little and attractive e-waste. .

Hence, the key objective of this study is set to assess the perception of subscriber (the consumer) regarding the cell phone pollution and also to find out whom they blame for resolving this challenge. To achieve the objective(s) this study is carried out through a structured questionnaire design mainly based on secondary data collect from different publications published in World Wide Web. Data collected by random survey conducted among the subscribers by the students of the private universities as a part of their semester assignment. Subscribers are interviewed after asking first whether they use cell phone or not. Though the attempt is taken to interview the importer(s) and operator(s) of cell phone, no interest is shown by them to participate in the survey. The data collection finished before Warid Telecom Int. officially started their operation in Bangladesh, so neither they nor their consumers are listed or qualified for the study. The interview was carried out in the later part of 2005 and ended in early first quarter of 2007.

A considerable number of publications related to e-waste and cell phone are collected as the source of secondary data from the World Wide Web as no previous published article found except few newspaper reports. A total of 1300 subscribers are interviewed and of them 1192 cell phone subscribers answer all the questions, hence 1192 data sheets are qualified for study which is 91.7% of the total subscriber interviewed.

The findings of the survey are very interesting and very useful for future study(s) or policy development and implementation. Findings of this study are listed below.

The questionnaire begins with naming the operator's network used by the subscriber. Grameen Phone ranked No.1 with 45.64% of subscribers. used their network while Aktel and Banglalink followed the 2nd and 3rd positions with 28.36% and 13.17% s'ubscribers. Subscriber then asked to point out their age group. Result found that age group 19-28 represents the highest number (58.47%) of the subscribers followeq by age group 29-38 with 21.14%. This implies that the cell phones are very popular to younger generation.

In case of occupation, 55.20% cell phone subscribers are found students secured highest position followed by 20.89% involved in business and 16.69% are in service. Of the total number of subscribers 68.37% are male and 31.63% are female, explain that females are still behind of cell phone use.

In response of the question of cell phone set use by the subscribers, 36.16% subscribers answered that they are using their 1st set or they are first time subscribers of cell phone. 28.10% subscribers using their second set, 20.13% using third, 11.41 % using fourth and 4.19% using fifth to eighth set. Subscribers then asked of cell phone using year and received answer that 25.92% subscribers using cell phone for one year, 23.41 % subscribers for 2nd year, 25% subscribers for 3rd year and rest 25.67% are for 4 to more than 5 years. Subscribers are asked from which year they have started using cell phone and found that only 2.27% subscribers use cell before 2001 and most subscribers growth found in between 2003 and 2006 (73.91%).

In response to the question whether they have ever changed the cell phone battery which came with the set and 40.10% subscribers answered 'Yes' they did. Then they are asked what happened to that battery and answer received highest 28.69% subscriber do not know where the battery is, 21.48% answered the battery is kept at home, 17.70% disposed to garbage, 16.61% subscribers have lost and 15.52% subscribers left the old battery in cell phone shop.

Finally, to find outcsubscriber's perception regarding the responsible party(s) who will bear the cost for recycling of "the unused cell phone to reduce pollution, highest 29.95% subscribers expressed that the set manufacturers are to be responsible for that, followed by service provider with almost similar 29.87%. Government should be responsible expressed by 14.77% subscribers and 8.98% subscribers marked them as responsible. Only 16.44% subscribers believe that everyone including subscribers, set manufacturers, operators, distributors and Govt. should participate and be responsible to recycle the nonfunctional cell phones.

Cell phone has created a great impact in our life style as well as played a great role in economical development. Modern life is unthinkable without cell phone use and everyone wishes to have one or have the latest model to update themselves, Many of us may be aware that computers and computer monitors should not be thrown into the garbage since they contain toxic materials that can seep into and contaminate the soil. Yet, small electronic devices that contain the same deadly materials are thrown away every day, Cell phones are probably the most common culprits, Americans discard about 130 million cell phones each year. In Bangladesh, presently 32m subscribers using cell phone, If we just assume (which will surely happen to every electrical item) that after 2-3 years all this cell phones will be discarded or become nonfunctional, then it comes around 2560 tons of e-waste or 512 trucks (5 ton) of e-waste will be created by the end of 2010 and following every year which is just 4 km long rally of 5 ton trucks.

Environmentalists list cell phones as one of the products most deleterious to our environment Gold and other metals that are used to produce cell phones must be found through hard-rock mining, which the Environmental Protection Agency ranks as a leading toxic polluter. Since cell phones are so easily replaced, at the end of their life cycle, many wind up in landfills where they leak their heavy metals into the soil, polluting nearby ground water. The cell phone industry is to recycle or reuse them for nothing, or in some cases give a discount off the cost of a new handset. Preventing them being thrown away will save 1,500 tons of waste going to landfill every year.

The average subscriber replaces the handset every 18 months, while its working life expectancy is eight years as handsets are now a fashion accessory, This provides a second hand market in phones which are refurbished and sold to Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, Contents of batteries pose a great threat to the environment One cadmium battery could pollute 600,000 litres of water.

Most, however, will now be recycled, extracting gold, platinum, silver and copper. The metals are extracted during this process and put back into use, Mixed plastics (those that contain metals and plastics) are sent to a specialist recycler in Sweden who incinerates the plastic and uses the energy to heat the local village, Other plastics are sent for granulation and end up as traffic cones or are used on horse gallops,

The researcher proposed the following recommendation for reducing the pollution:

i. Awareness building in customer end by airing commercial, advertisements by the govt authority in association with cell phone service providers and cell phone set importers,

ii. Enact and strictly implement policies to reuse, recycle and reduce cell phone and pollution by the concerning Governmental, Semi-Governmental or Independent authorities i.e. Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Telecommunication, Ministry of Commerce, City Corporations, Union Councils, etc.

iii. Print the cell phone manual in Bangla and multi print-environmental caution note in Bangla with logo on the packaging/box.

iv. Conduct more research and organise more seminars, round-table and talk show to address the issue and to create awareness.

v. Setting up recycle plants to recycle the e-waste.

vi. Prevent the mishandling of e-waste in private sector entrepreneurs.

vii. Introduce and implement 'Take Back' and 'Exchange' offer by the cell phone importers and network providers.