
Heavy-Metal Soil Contamination
Every electronic device contains a selection of the rarest metals on the planet. However, many of these metals are toxic, and their mining has yielded catastrophic environmental damage. Over 20% of Chinese farmland is heavily polluted by metals such as cadmium, arsenic and lead. This trend is repeated across the developing world; for example in Central Africa (cobalt) and South Asia (arsenic).
Social:
These metals enter the food chain such that metal-induced cancer is the leading cause of death for hundreds-of-thousands of people. A case study of Sanhe Village, China, revealed 80% of farmers were suffering from spinal pain and bone deformation due to cadmium exposure. Moreover, heavy metal contamination has rendered the water undrinkable for millions across Asia. Taken together, these factors have lowered the life expectancy and quality, constituting a public health crisis.
Environmental:
Metal pollutants wreak havoc on the environment by poisoning flora and fauna. Reduced crop output due to heavy-metal pollution has also led to the cultivation of more land to meet the demands of population growth, leading to deforestation, wider ecosystem destruction and water system pollution.
Economic:
There is an increasing demand and scarcity of these heavy-metals, with over £2.3 billion spent annually to acquire them. Our idea enables cheap, sustainable metal reclamation, helping meet this ever-growing demand. Reduced crop output and metal-induced disease places an economic strain on farming communities and public health networks respectively.