Your Guide to Electronic Waste Disposal

When you think of electronic waste disposal, what comes to mind? It’s most likely broken tech equipment such as scanners, computers, fax machines, cameras, and even mobile phones sitting in a dumpster or landfill. 

While that’s not terribly far from the truth, read on for more information about what electronic waste is and how we can save our environment through proper, compliant electronic waste recycling. 

Electronic Waste Definition

Electronic waste is also referred to as e-scrap and e-waste. This term can encompass everything from old television sets to PCs, laptops, stereo systems, smartphones, DVD and Blu-ray players, and recording equipment. There are a lot of items under this umbrella. 

So, what happens when these items are no longer useful? Maybe they are broken or they have become obsolete, and you’ve moved onto something newer and more modern and updated. 

That’s where electronic waste disposal comes in. 

Did you know that disposing of e-waste in a dumpster is illegal? Did you also know that it can be dangerous for humans as well as harmful to the environment? Many types of tech contain toxic materials such as nickel, lead, zinc, and barium. Cathode ray tubes in some televisions can cause harm. These materials and others should not be let out into the environment, as there could be repercussions for humans, such as health issues. 

Fortunately, there are safe, lawful, and humane ways to deal with these items when it comes to electronic waste disposal. 

How to Dispose of Electronic Waste

Maybe you’re moving and need to get rid of your old TV and stereo or you’re upgrading your old laptop, and you don’t know what to do with the old one. Perhaps your microwave broke and no longer works. 

Instead of tossing items on the curb or stashing them in your garage or storage space, why not embark on electronic waste disposal the right way? 

Here are a few ideas for where to dispose of electronic waste that will benefit you and the environment. 

• Do you happen to know someone good with their hands? Maybe they could repair your old microwave and use it or sell it, or perhaps they know how to replace the screen on your broken TV and could use it themselves or sell it. This is called “reusing” electronic waste, and it’s usually the first thing that comes to mind when you’re trying to decide how to go about electronic waste disposal.
• Find places to recycle your old tech. There are many ways to do this. You can also search the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for information on the nearest places to recycle tech.

What are the Benefits of Electronic Waste Recycling?

Electronic waste disposal isn’t just convenient for you by getting rid of old, clunky tech that takes up space in your garage, attic, closets, or drawers. There are multiple benefits to electronic waste recycling. 

Recycling reduces the amount of waste that goes into our landfills. This benefits our planet as well as keeps us safe. Imagine all the toxic chemicals that are in the air when people simply toss their tech! 

Electronic waste disposal in the form of recycling allows companies to reuse those raw materials to create new items, which cuts down on manufacturing costs. So many items are made with recycled content. Just a few include car parts, plastic soap dispensers, motor oil, steel products, trash bags, and glass bottles—to name a few. 

Reusing materials such as using old phones to make new phones eliminates the need to create and manufacture more materials, which means companies don’t have to keep using non-renewable resources. 

Recycling creates jobs. That may not seem to make much sense, but according to the EPA, the need for employees to work in the recycling and reusing industry has risen to create over 750,000 jobs just as of 2016. That’s a lot of people who rely on recycling for their living. 

To learn how to recycle tech properly, contact PlanITROI today