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250 Eiffel Towers' worth of waste: The AI boom's toxic hardware problem

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Why This Matters

The rapid growth of AI infrastructure is exacerbating the global e-waste crisis, posing environmental and health risks, especially for marginalized waste pickers. As data centers proliferate, the resulting hardware turnover could significantly increase toxic waste, highlighting the need for sustainable practices and inclusive solutions in the tech industry. Addressing this issue is crucial for protecting both the environment and vulnerable communities.

Key Takeaways

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ZDNET's key takeaways

E-waste is an environmental hazard.

The AI data center boom could amplify the problem.

Waste pickers want a say in the solution.

Solomon Njoroge started picking waste at the Dandora dumpsite when he was a child. He's seen other waste pickers, who work long hours in the 40-acre landfill outside Nairobi, Kenya, suffer asthma, miscarriages, cancer, and respiratory diseases.

A dumpsite like Dandora isn't one person's fault, but rather a literal pileup of choices made by governments, companies, and individuals, going back decades, about how to dispose of the junk and refuse no one wants -- and where to put it.

While the Earth has been drowning in garbage for years, the modern era has introduced a new toxic ingredient: electronic waste, or e-waste.

Also: The cloud vs. clouded leopard: America's data center backlash on display at Nashville Zoo

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