Los residuos electrónicos y su impacto en los derechos humanos

The report details how the lifecycle of electronic products, characterized by rapid obsolescence and the use of toxic materials, leads to severe human rights violations. It highlights the presence of hazardous substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium in e-waste and documents the resulting health crises in informal recycling hubs, particularly in China, India, Ghana, and the Philippines. The document argues that unregulated recycling practices violate the rights to life, health, adequate food, and safe working conditions, disproportionately affecting children and marginalized populations.

• Electronic waste contains a variety of toxic substances that cause severe health issues: arsenic and beryllium are known human carcinogens; lead is a potent neurotoxin that damages children's brain connections; and mercury targets the central nervous system and causes kidney damage.
• Global e-waste generation was approximately 41.8 teratonnes (Tm) in 2014, with projections suggesting an increase to 49.8 Tm by 2018, growing at an annual rate of 4 to 5 percent.
• Informal e-waste recycling in Guiyu, China, has led to extreme environmental contamination and health crises, including a stillbirth risk approximately four times higher than in the control site of Xiamen (1.03%) and a high incidence of respiratory diseases among children.
• E-waste contamination threatens the right to adequate food through the release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) into soil and vegetation, and the bioaccumulation of toxins in grazing animals, which then enter the human food chain via eggs and milk.
• In the Philippines, the economic impact of lead exposure in children is estimated at USD 15,019,373,494, representing 3.82% of the GDP, due to the resulting decline in IQ.
• Informal recycling sectors in developing countries, such as India, rely on marginalized groups, including women and children who work 12 to 14 hours daily without personal protective equipment, exposing them to toxic fumes from open burning and acid leaching.
• Child labor in e-waste recycling, particularly in Ghana, involves hazardous activities like manual dismantling and incineration, leading to occupational accidents, heavy metal poisoning, and skin infections.
• Lack of information and labeling leads to improper waste disposal; for instance, 88% of households in the Philippines dispose of mercury-containing lamps with domestic waste.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Los residuos electrónicos y su impacto en los derechos humanos. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/HR_EWaste_SPA.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Los residuos electrónicos y su impacto en los derechos humanos. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/HR_EWaste_SPA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Los residuos electrónicos y su impacto en los derechos humanos |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/HR_EWaste_SPA.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndlos, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Los residuos electrónicos y su impacto en los derechos humanos}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/HR_EWaste_SPA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }