Did you ever wonder what happens to your old laptop or cellphone when you throw it away? According to a recent United Nations report, about 70% of electronic waste globally generated ended up in China. China now appears to be the largest e-waste dumping site in the world.

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The e-waste, or electronic waste, consists of everything from scrapped TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners to that old desktop computer that may be collecting dust in your closet. Many of these gadgets were initially manufactured in China. Through a complex circulation in global economics, much of this electronic junk returns to China to die.

Items that are classed as e-waste often contain small amounts of gold, copper, aluminum, silver and other precious metals and plastics that hold high value for recyclers. But they also contain harmful substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, all of which have the potential to contribute to environmental pollution, or cause many health problems.

According to United Nations' conventions, there is a specific ban on electronic waste being transferred from developed countries like the United States to countries like China and Vietnam. So Much of the e-waste comes through illegal channels. The e-waste was separated based on their value and potential for re-sale. At last, the selected parts were sold to Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that manufactures products for many global electronics companies, including Apple, Dell.

When recycling is done in primitive ways in China with the e-waste, it is hugely devastating for the local environment. According to a 2013 U.N. report on e-waste in China: "Much of the toxic pollution comes from burning circuit boards, plastic and copper wires, or washing them with hydrochloric acid to recover valuable metals like copper and steel. In doing so, workshops contaminate workers and the environment with toxic heavy metals like lead, beryllium and cadmium, while also releasing hydrocarbon ashes into the air, water and soil."

However, it did appear that government efforts to restrict imports of foreign waste are reducing the flow of e-waste here. But there is still a long way to go to control the waste. This is a big challenge for the sustainable development of our society.