We as a planet threw away about 50 million tonnes of electronic waste in 2019. That’s the same as about 1,250,000 loaded 18 wheelers. Where does it all go? Into our Earth.
Electronic recycling is the answer; with this comes our key questions.
How do you recycle e-waste? Where can you take your broken appliances? How do you choose an electronic recycling service you trust?
We have a guide with everything you need to know. Let’s dig into the world of electronic recycling.
Why Is Electronic Waste Such a Problem?
We design electronic devices to be durable, efficient, and light. As newer tech emerges, older tech becomes obsolete. Most people throw them in the landfill or worse.
Offices may discard masses of computers, tablets, routers, and other e-waste. This happens when they need to downsize, upgrade, merge, or move.
Shocked? The problem starts on a much smaller scale: our pockets.
E-Waste Damages Our Environment
Take a smartphone. It has a glass screen, plastic or aluminum body, metal components, and a lithium-ion battery.
Metal, aluminum, for example, can take 250 years to decompose. Plastic can take over 500 years. Glass can take over 1 million years. Batteries leak heavy metals into our ground long after their metal casings degrade.
E-Waste Damages Our Economy
When we discard electronics, we need to produce new ones. This drains our natural resources. It depletes our precious metals. It costs vast amounts of money we could spend on better causes.
The USA is the largest economy in the World by GDP, yet recycled only 38.5% of electronic consumer products in 2018.
What Kinds of E-Waste Products are there?
Many of these are so common we are oblivious to them. All these electronics pollute our planet if we fail to recycle e-waste.
- Mobile phones, tablets, and laptops
- TVs, monitors, and projectors
- Games consoles and accessories
- Audio systems
- Circuit board
- Portable battery packs
- Fridges and freezers
- Vending machines
Some big, some tiny, all dangerous to our planet. Electronic recycling can be easy when we choose the right methods.
What Are the Best Electronic Recycling Solutions?
Electronic recycling centers can be harder to get to than trash disposal. Most people and businesses are short of time. Our devices have sensitive data.
Electronic asset recovery is your best option. These organizations resell, refurbish, or recycle electronic waste from homes and offices.
The best asset recovery providers are R2 or e-Stewards certified. This ensures their electronic recycling methods are secure and compliant with regulations.
Check here for more info on choosing an asset recovery provider. Next time you need to recycle your e-Waste, think about asset recovery before landfill. Saves time, more secure, better for our planet.
Want More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle Tips?
We hope our guide helped you with your electronic recycling. There are plenty of options, but professional, secure recycling is the best. If we recycle e-Waste, we help keep our Earth greener for longer. More for us to explore.
We have plenty of eco-lifestyle, health, and travel reads for you. Enjoyed this one? Check out the rest of our site for more.
Happy electronic recycling!