You already know that you need to recycle items like glass and plastic. This is something you probably already do every day without even thinking much about it. Most of us are taught the importance of recycling in school and as we grow up, so there aren’t many questions regarding how it works or why we do it. However, these aren’t the only items in our lives that need to be recycled. E-waste recycling is extremely important, but not many people know much about it. We all rely heavily on tech products each day, so we all have a responsibility to recycle them properly.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding e-waste recycling.
What Counts as E-Waste?
You’d be surprised at how much potential e-waste you have in your home. Nearly all of your electronics can be e-waste. Computers in your home and office, regardless of whether they’re desktop computers or laptops, all count as e-waste. You probably have several different phones at home, too, like smartphones and landlines included in this. Printers and machines are also counted as e-waste. Your TV is also considered e-waste and needs to be recycled. In an office space, you can find even more e-waste.
Where Can You Recycle Old Electronics?
Most of us are used to having convenient recycling programs where our waste is picked up right at our house. This makes it extremely easy to do the right thing, but you’ll have to do a bit more work to recycle your unwanted tech items. To recycle old electronics, you’ll need to either drop them off at an e-waste recycling center or schedule a pick-up if needed. Fortunately, this isn’t really much of a hassle, as you won’t be getting rid of old electronics as frequently as other recyclables.
What Should You Do With Your Data?
Whether it’s a personal or work device, your computers, phones, and tablets have a lot of important information stored on them. Before you get rid of these items, you need to be sure your data isn’t going to be compromised. Deleting them yourself isn’t enough to guarantee that your information is safe. To be as safe as possible, you should have your data professionally wiped from your devices. Just be sure that before you do this, all of your data is backed up somewhere else.
What Do Recycled Electronics Get Used For?
You might not realize how many materials are used in your electronics, some of which are very limited resources. In many cases, old electronic parts, like batteries, will be used to make new electronics in the future. However, the materials sourced from recycled electronics can be used to make a variety of things, not just other electronics. New products unrelated to technology can be made with glass, plastic, gold, and more found in so many electronics today. Taking these materials from unwanted electronics keeps them from being wasted and helps prevent us from having to source new materials and using up what’s available to us.
What Happens to Electronics That Aren’t Recycled?
If you aren’t very familiar with e-waste recycling, you might not understand why it’s so important. Materials can be repurposed, but does anything bad happen if you toss electronics in with regular trash? E-waste actually has detrimental effects on our environment. When these products end up in landfills and are exposed to the elements, they begin to leak harmful toxins into the soil. Once these toxins are in the soil, they can seep into nearby water sources, which can eventually impact all of us. Recycling these items protects us and our environment, but that’s not the only reason you should do it. Many states have passed laws that require you to recycle your old electronics as we learn more about how important this issue is.
Learn More About Recycling Your Electronics
E-waste in landfills is a huge problem worldwide that everyone needs to learn about and make efforts to prevent. This is still a new topic for many people, so it’s important to continue to learn about it. At Newtech Recycling, we can help with many of your e-waste recycling needs to ensure everything is properly recycled.
If you have electronics that you need to recycle, contact us today to learn how.