Reuse for electronic waste disposal
The most environmentally friendly option for electronic waste disposal is reuse. This waste management method extends the life of your electronics while benefiting society. If you have operating electronic products that you no longer need, you can contact local non-profit organizations or schools and inquire about donating. Manufacturers and retailers of electronic products often accept used electronics free. These programs differ by company and location, but include take back, trade or mail-in programs and collection events at stores. Some manufacturers and retailers financially support local municipal recycling events or organizations that collect old electronics as well. For electronics such as computers and smart phones, you may need a secure file deletion utility2C you may need a secure file deletion utility that will erase data so no one can recover it. Also, if you leave commercial software on any computer you donate; make sure that doing so does not violate the license agreements. If the recycling center is not certified or engages in unethical activities, the electronics may be shipped overseas for recycling. This causes both environmental and health concerns as the regulations for disposing of the devices are weak to non-existent overseas. Many people working in the overseas recycling center can end up with health concerns, such as cancer, from improper handling of toxic waste. In addition, the incorrect disposal often results in toxic waste leeching into nearby land, furthering the harmful effects.
Advertisement
Toxins in electronics waste
Classic tube televisions hold between 4 and 8 pounds of lead per television. If not recycled, this lead ends up in landfills, potentially leaking into water and surrounding soil. Older computer monitors also contain lead and the fluorescent lamp in the screen contains mercury. The circuit board contains both lead and cadmium, which is a human carcinogen. Even though recycling electronics is preferable to simply throwing them in the garbage, you can prevent the disposal process altogether by reusing items. By keeping an outdated computer monitor or donating a TV to a local charity, you can help prevent environmental damage while contributing to your community at the same time. Buying things we simply do not need might be the biggest cause for an e-waste problem. It is really important for us to just stop and ask ourselves if we need a gadget or electronic item before we buy it. We really need to activate that voice in our heads that talks to us and prevents us from buying electronic items we do not need. E-waste is the term used to describe discarded electronics and electrical products. In the past few decades, the world’s demand for gadgetry has gone through the roof and, inevitably, more waste has started to accumulate. As the bustling economies of China and India modernize and follow more Western trends, the worldwide generation of e-waste has hit astronomical proportions.
| Posted in products, recycled, recycling, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Toxins in electronics waste