International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

Abstract—In recent years, the advent of new electronic devices has spurred an increasing amount of e-waste, which is one of the fastest-growing municipal waste streams. However, research on e-waste in Vietnam is limited, especially in the southern provinces. The study was conducted to assess the current generation and volume of e-waste in Soc Trang city, Soc Trang province, Vietnam. The data were collected by interviewing 200 households. The results recorded 36 types of electronic devices that were classified into seven groups: lighting devices (2,021 pcs), heat exchangers (1,236 pcs), entertainment devices (1,221 pcs), large-sized devices (857 pcs), small-sized devices (851 pcs), office equipment (275 pcs) and medical equipment (73 pcs). The dominant devices were LED lights (1,185 pcs), smartphones (704 pcs), and electric fans (637 pcs). The average lifespan of relatively high-end appliances ranges from 3.8 to 18 years. The amount of e-waste generated in the study area was estimated at 1,065,382 pcs. The average volume was approximately 1,757 tons/year, with a generation rate of about 12.8 kg/person/year. Most of these devices are collected, sorted and sold by the households. It is recommended that effective e-waste management measures should be appropriately implemented to prevent adverse environmental and health impacts.

Index Terms—E-Waste, household, Soc Trang city, toxic element, device.

The authors are with College of Environment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam (corresponding author: Nguyen Thanh Giao; e-mail: ntgiao@ ctu.edu.vn).

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Cite: Tran Thi Kim Hong, Lam Trong Nhan, and Nguyen Thanh Giao, "Investigation of Electronic Waste Generation: A Case Study of Soc Trang City, Vietnam," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 270-278, 2022.

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