Gold is an important component of many electronic devices because of its high electrical conductivity. The production of gold potassium cyanide (GPC) accounts for about 70 per cent of all electronics use. After jewellery and, in some years, coins, electronics is the biggest user of gold. Even with electronics getting compact, it has minimum effect on the usage of gold as overall gold use has not reduced. The more sophisticated the equipment and the greater the degree of reliability required, the more the gold plating used in connectors. Gold is also used in fine wires or strips to bond or connect parts of semiconductors such as transistors and integrated circuits to ensure reliable connections between components.

Rapid technology change, low initial cost and fast obsolescence has resulted in the problem of electron waste (e-waste) around the global E-waste comprises mainly obsolete computers, servers, printers, mobile phones, TVs, refrigerators and washing machines. The amount of electron products being discarded worldwide has increased in recent years. About 80 per cent of e-waste generated in the US is exported to India, China and Pakistan because in rich countries, as per strict environmental rules and regulations, it can cost $20 to $30 to dispose of one computer, just to throw it away in a proper way. So a trader will, instead of paying $20 to the local ecology to recycle the waste, actually sell the waste a computer for $13 to $15 to a developing or underde-veloped country.

Electronic waste disposal is a livelihood for unorganized recyclers. A large number of people, individually or in the form of companies, are ex¬tracting valuable metals like copper and gold from the electronic waste. The e-waste parts are boiled in water, scrubbed and then dumped in a bath of sulfuric and nitric acid for one day to extract golden materials. Besides gold and silver, e-waste can yield platinum, silicon, cadmium, nickel, copper, lead and iron during recycling. Once the precious metals are extracted, the rest, mostly plastics, is burnt or dumped near residential areas. During the extraction process, however, workers are often exposed to hazardous substances, such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Very few workers take even minimal safety precautions to protect themselves from exposure to these toxic materials like lead, cadmium etc. which are very harmful for their health and the environment. Working in poorly ventilated, enclosed areas without masks and technical expertise results in exposure to dangerous and slow poisoning chemicals.

The problem is really severe and it is very important that the government needs to take care of it. Development of innovative, environment-friendly recycling method for e-waste is to be formulated. Strict e-waste policy is to be followed. Incentive schemes for garbage collectors and general public for collecting and handing over e-waste. One should upgrade and not change your mobile phones, computers, televisions, audio equipment and printers more frequently.
Turning old parts into novel products will also help. If one has to discard the electronic, prefer it to discard it with the local ecology center and not sell it. Clean the environment with cleaner electronics.