Electronic devices play a larger role in humans’ everyday lives than ever before. Gadgets power our homes, businesses and personal lives. With the increasing number of electronic devices making their way into the market and the rate at which those devices become outdated due to improvements in technology, there is more electronic waste (e-waste) generated every year.
This increasing amount of e-waste has made e-waste recycling programs more important.
What is e-waste recycling? Exactly what it sounds like: the process of reusing materials from electronics to prevent an unnecessary amount of waste going into landfills. What are the benefits of e-waste recycling?
Here’s a quick look at several of the primary benefits associated with e-waste recycling:
- Save landfill space: Landfills have an increasing amount of e-waste taking up space, which is harmful for the environment. The metals used in electronic devices can erode and push harmful toxins into the ground and water in the area. The plastic can also release toxins into the soil, which can be harmful to the various plants and microorganisms and destroy ecosystems, especially as those toxins get into water sources. With e-waste recycling, these harmful components can be properly disposed of or even reused.
- Increased employment: An increased reliance on e-waste recycling helps to further build a much-needed industry. The more e-waste programs are established, the more there will be a need for skilled professionals in this field who can properly deal with electronic waste.
- Preserving natural resources: Approximately 98 percent of most of the components of electronic devices are recyclable. This means recycling these devices helps to preserve natural resources. The metals used require significant effort and energy to extract, and the cost of refining those metals and turning them into a form that can be used in electronics is significant. There are other components that are made out of aluminum and copper that can be used multiple times, and others have glass components and other materials that can be used in new settings.
- Removal of data: There are many people who simply take their devices and throw them in the trash without giving any thought to data security. It’s not enough to just delete files from a computer or phone—you need to use special strategies and software to completely remove data and prevent your information from being uncovered by others. E-waste recycling facilities follow the necessary steps to completely eliminate data from devices so they can then extract the recyclable components and use them elsewhere.
- Keep devices affordable: There are many cases in which people want to get rid of an electronic device simply because they want to upgrade rather than because it’s stopped working. Reusing devices rather than throwing them away helps create and sustain a market of affordable devices for people who cannot afford or do not want the most up-to-date device.
For more information about the benefits of e-waste recycling and why it’s important to prioritize, contact us at CIWA, Inc. with any questions you have for our team.