title: Emerging issue of e-waste in Pakistan: A review of status, research needs and data gaps.
abstract: This review article focuses on the current situation of e-waste in Pakistan with the emphasis on defining the major e-waste recycling sites, current and future domestic generation of e-waste, hidden flows or import of e-waste and discusses various challenges for e-waste management. Needed policy interventions and possible measures to be taken at governmental level are discussed to avoid the increasing problem of e-waste in the country. Our findings highlight that there is still a general lack of reliable data, inventories and research studies addressing e-waste related issues in the context of environmental and human health in Pakistan. There is therefore a critical need to improve the current knowledge base, which should build upon the research experience from other countries which have experienced similar situations in the past. Further research into these issues in Pakistan is considered vital to help inform future policies/control strategies as already successfully implemented in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mehreen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Box 100, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway; University of Oslo, Department of Chemistry, Box 1033, NO-0315 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breivik
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: shahg14@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jabir Hussain
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan. Electronic address: r_n_malik2000@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Riffat Naseem
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Gan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058735:Environmental Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
keywords: Data gaps; E-waste; Illegal import; Management; Pakistan; Recycling sites; Research needs; Status