E-waste is a growing issue that affects us all. While some might dispose of their old electronic devices in the regular garbage thinking it has no impact on them, e-waste is a serious threat to the environment and our health. These items might be taken somewhere we can’t see, but that doesn’t mean they won’t eventually negatively impact our lives. Millions of tons of e-waste are produced every year as people improperly dispose of their unwanted electronic devices.
With such a huge amount of toxic waste occurring worldwide, something needs to be done to protect our future and our planet. If we don’t work towards stopping electronic waste from entering landfills, this problem will spiral out of control. Electronic recycling laws are essential for reducing the amount of e-waste that ends up in landfills.
Learn more about e-waste laws in 2021 and why we need legislation in place to help reduce e-waste.
What Federal Laws are There?
The United States is one of the largest producers of electronic waste in the world. Unfortunately, there are no federal laws that require people to recycle their used electronics. Much of the e-waste produced in the US also doesn’t stay there. The majority of e-waste from the US gets shipped to other countries around the world, with China receiving most of these hazardous materials. While the US has no current federal laws mandating, there are many regulations around the world that require people to recycle their unwanted electronics.
Do Individual States Have Laws?
Fortunately, many states have made progress in creating laws requiring people to recycle their unwanted electronics. Even if federal laws don’t require you to do this, your state could hold you accountable to take care of old electronics responsibly. There are currently 25 states that have their own e-waste recycling laws. If you’re a business or organization looking to recycle old electronics in a state with e-waste laws, you’ll have to ensure that you’re going through the proper channels. When it’s time for your organization to get rid of its IT equipment, look for a reliable ITAD company that recycles responsibly.
What Will Be Done Going Forward?
With no current federal laws in the US requiring waste management for e-waste, many people wonder what the future holds. Of course, there are many all over the world who are committed to reducing e-waste and are working towards creating more ways to educate the public and encourage them to prevent e-waste.
A lot still needs to be done to prevent the e-waste problem from growing. While laws requiring all e-waste to be recycled are extremely important, there are more ways of tackling this issue. For example, one reason so much e-waste occurs is that devices become obsolete much faster than they used to. In some parts of the world, there are efforts to help people repair their old divides to prevent them from having to replace them so often. Making repairs more accessible can extend the lives of our devices and reduce the demand for new products, resulting in less e-waste. Many still need to be educated on the importance of recycling their old electronics. These are devices we use safely every day, so they may not realize the dangers they can have in landfills.
While it can take time for new legislation to come into place, there are many who are concerned about e-waste and are taking steps to help reduce it. More people are becoming aware of the dangers of e-waste, and as education on the subject becomes more widespread, we could begin seeing more efforts to stop it. Making recycling services more accessible is also an important part of preventing e-waste going into the future.
Recycle Your Unwanted Electronics Responsibly
Regardless of what laws there are regarding recycling electronics, this is something we all need to work on to help reduce the amount of electronic waste and toxic chemicals from polluting landfills and our environment. At Newtech Recycling, we can ensure that your old electronics get taken care of responsibly when you’re ready to get rid of them. We provide services like help with server recycling to businesses and organizations in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, all of which have state e-waste recycling laws in place. We’ll help ensure that your old electronics are recycled following state laws and that you’re doing your part in preventing e-waste.
Learn more about how you can recycle your old and unwanted electronics responsibly with an R2 recycling company to help prevent e-waste.