7 Reasons You Should Recycle Your Old Electronics Devices (E-waste)
E-waste is becoming a global issue. The more electrical and electronic equipment are being produced, the more E-waste needs to be disposed of or managed properly. If e-waste is discarded without implementing environmentally sound manners such as into the river, landfill, burning or sent to the informal sector, e-waste may endanger our life, affecting human health and causing deterioration of environmental quality.
Can you throw your electronic devices in the garbage?
You should never throw away electronics with your regular trash. Many of the components, especially batteries can be harmful or dangerous if not disposed of properly. That doesn’t happen if you’re just taking it to the curb. Sell, donate, or recycle, but don’t trash your old devices.
7 Reasons You Should Recycle Your Electronics
- Recycling electronics is now easier than ever.
There are numerous options for recycling your electronics. First, locate a certified e-cycler who will destroy your sensitive data and understand how to properly recycle the device’s materials so they do not become toxic landfill waste. Many municipalities will accept electronics as well; simply check with your local recycling centre. Furthermore, there are manufacturer take-back programmes that will reuse your old device when you exchange it for a new one.
- It’s hazardous not to recycle electronics
With lead, arsenic, and mercury in electronic devices, it’s risky not to recycle them through a reputable electronics recycler. Devices that are improperly disposed of can end up in landfills and leak hazardous chemicals into water supplies. This is especially likely when electronics are shipped to countries that lack the infrastructure to properly dispose of e-waste. Recycle your electronic device to help the environment.
- Data can be securely destroyed.
Reputable e-waste recyclers are also experts in securely destroying confidential data. They will typically strip magnetic fields from a device, overwrite data, or physically destroy a device so that data cannot be recovered. There have been far too many reports of people simply discarding devices containing sensitive information, and the information eventually ends up on someone discovering sensitive data in a dumpster. Go green by recycling.
- Old devices have tons of precious metals
E-waste is a veritable “gold mine” of rare metals, despite not quite being one. A million cell phones contain 75 pounds of gold, 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, and 33 pounds of palladium, according to the EPA. All of that can be melted down and used again in the manufacture of new things. This is much preferable to letting precious metals accumulate in landfills. Electronic waste is equivalent to throwing away perfectly good gold jewelry.
- Throwing out a device can be illegal
Yes, it is illegal to pitch your device in some places. California has been taking action against businesses that illegally dump e-waste, and many cities consider it illegal to simply throw outdated computers into your trash bin. When all potential toxins are considered, the risks are simply too great, so it is becoming increasingly illegal to dump e-waste. Recycling e-waste becomes even more important if it is prohibited where you live. It still makes sense for everyone else.
- Recycling means less production waste
Recycling also takes new resources that would need to be mined and produced out of the equation. According to the EPA, “Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year. One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the U.S.” The EPA also mentioned, in addition to conserving natural resources, we can avoid air pollution, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that all come from the manufacturing and mining of the raw materials that are already sitting in our old devices.
- Get the ethical ego boost
Let’s be honest, doing good is fun because it makes you feel like a better person than you were yesterday. I don’t think there’s any shame in admitting that. It’s like leveling up your life. When you’re donating electronics, you’re saving the environment, protecting people from hazardous materials and donating to the needy. You can feel like a superhero just by dropping off your electronics to some collection site, no running into a burning building required. So recycle your electronics, and ride that ego boost.
Sources:
RecycleNation. (2014). 10 Reasons You Should Recycle Your Electronics – RecycleNation. Recyclenation.com; RecycleNation. https://recyclenation.com/2015/09/10-reasons-you-should-recycle-your-electronics/
Fast, Convenient & Great Value
Require only 1 Working Device or 3 Non-Working Devices for FREE pickup.
Payment by cash, bank transfer, e-wallet (TnG, Grabpay, Bigpay or Boost) or cheque (for amounts exceeding RM1,000).
Saves space in the landfills and prevents the environmental pollution caused by the toxins.
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