What Is Electronic Recycling?

Anyone who owns an electronic device knows that it cannot last forever. So what happens when your devices break or are no longer useful? These devices will pile up in landfills and turn into electronics waste.

Most states do not allow you to simply throw these items away. Instead, you will need to use electronic recycling services from a provider like our term at Newtech Recycling. These companies use a recycling process that safely disposes of your equipment, so you don’t have to. You’ll also be part of a larger movement to reduce greenhouses and make living on earth more eco-friendly for everyone.

From our team of electronic recycling experts, read on for an overview of how exactly electronics waste is recycled and what you can expect from the process.

Electronic trash, or e-waste, is generated in many forms. Typically, it is composed of out-of-date, broken, or surplus devices. The most common types of products that go through e-waste recycling include:

•             Cell phones
•             Tablets
•             Computers
•             TVs
•             Printers 
•             Other electrical equipment

All machines eventually break down and become incapable of performing the tasks they were built to do. You also see new models on the market every day, replacing those that came before it and encouraging consumers to rush for the latest product. 

The problem is most people choose to throw these devices out, and they pile up in landfills. This is dangerous because these devices contain many toxic materials, such as:

•             Lead
•             Mercury
•             Chromium
•             Cadmium

These are all infamously toxic to many living organisms and can also contribute to pollution through e-waste. However, recycling reduces the amount of discarded electronic devices, and as a result, the spread of these toxic compounds.

An electronic recycling program allows a device’s raw materials to be reused in new products. This reduces the need to source additional natural materials, saving a considerable amount of time and energy.

And when people upcycle electronics, many of the raw materials used to create these devices are recovered and reused, which cuts down on manufacturing costs.

The first steps in the recycling process are the collection and transportation of the e-waste equipment. Once our team knows what types of e-waste need to be recycled, we plan out the most efficient way to obtain your devices and prepare them for the recycling process. 

Once the devices have been picked up, we create an itemized inventory upon request. This way, our customers can be sure each device they are recycling has been accounted for. 

In addition to dismantling the physical devices, it is important to ensure that your digital data has been securely destroyed. Simply throwing away a computer, cell phone, or server can leave your data exposed and at risk of recovery. This is also illegal in several states. 

Manually deleting your files is also not an effective way to destroy information, as someone can still recover them from your hard drive. 

However, services like server recycling ensure your sensitive personal and business data is properly discarded. Our team at Newtech Recycling treats each device with an electromagnetic pulse or EMP with this recycling program. This shock of energy disrupts the magnetic fields that contain the binary sequences of your data and makes the information unable to be recovered.

Once your digital data has been cleared from each recycled device, they will be sent through an industrial shredder. This shredding breaks each piece of e-waste into smaller pieces, ready for sorting. 

At our facilities, we use specialized sorting equipment during this process that separates all physical components that could cause serious harm if released into the environment. These components generally include chromium, lead, mercury, and cadmium. 

Once any toxic materials have been removed from the devices, they are then separated into raw materials. These are categorized by the specific type of metal, glass, and plastic that was used. These raw materials are then sent to manufacturers to create new products. 

There comes a time when every company will face the task of disposing of its e-waste safely and efficiently. By ensuring your electronics waste is recycled properly, you are taking steps to improve the environment’s well-being and reuse your old materials.

However, you will need a partner you can trust to dispose of your equipment. Call Newtech Recycling today for a quote on your electronic recycling.

Related Terms: R2 Recycling, TERRA, ITAD