Australia’s environmental authorities will be faced with a wave of new e-waste loads as the data centre industry ramps up, including the handling and disposal of rising amounts of so-called “forever chemicals”.
International science publications, including Environmental Science & Technology, have highlighted the “overlooked chemical footprint” implanted by data centres and their associated digital infrastructure.
These centres typically house “substantial quantities of materials associated with emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [the PFAS chemicals often dubbed “forever chemicals”] polymer-based materials capable of generating microplastics, brominated flame retardants, heavy metals, and engineered nanomaterials,” a report in the ES&T journal reported last month.
“Data centres, with their elevated airflow velocities, thermal cycling, chemically treated cooling systems, and frequent equipment replacement, may mobilise contaminants into the environment,” it said.
“However, they are often overlooked as sources of chemical emissions, leading to inadequate environmental monitoring and research.”
