The Biggest Problem With E-Waste? The Unknown

Recycling is not a new concept for us today. We’ve been recycling plastic for decades, and paper even longer than that. The need for recycling programs like these grew as we used more and more single-use items. As these types of recycling programs have been around for a while, we’ve had time to understand the impact these products have when they end up in landfills. One newer type of recycling that people aren’t as familiar with is electronics recycling. While this service is available, and extremely important it isn’t widely used, and the majority of electronics still end up being thrown in landfills.

We’re aware of the negative environmental impact of e-waste, but there’s still a lot to learn. The problem with e-waste that we should all be concerned about is not knowing what can happen in the future.

The Effect of E-Waste on Our Health

Many of us don’t understand how harmful landfills with electronics can be because we don’t have to look at them. Much of our waste ends up getting transported to other countries, so we haven’t seen many of the effects on our own lives, and some don’t understand the severity of the issues it causes. Toxins from e-waste can cause serious health issues when it seeps into the soil and nearby water supplies, in addition to toxins released into the air from burning. We might not realize that this is an issue as we’re far removed from it, but eventually, e-waste will cause health effects for everyone. Toxins from e-waste will spread to wildlife and crops that people around the world rely on for food. This won’t only affect our health, but it can negatively impact future generations as well.

E-Waste Can Continue to Grow

E-waste is already a huge problem, but it isn’t likely to end anytime soon. Despite more and more e-waste recycling programs starting up, electronics continue to end up in landfills. As electronics continue to be a huge part of our society and people replace their devices more often, e-waste will continue to grow. With millions of tons of e-waste being thrown away each year, this problem will only grow.

Prevent E-Waste from Occurring

What we don’t know about e-waste can be the most anxiety-provoking part. We’ve been seeing the dangers of e-waste for years now, but it’s only the beginning. As e-waste becomes a more prevalent problem, our lives can become seriously impacted by it. It can be difficult to know all of the damage that the extreme amount of e-waste existing today will have, especially as it grows. While many of us have used electronics for years, they’re still fairly new, and we haven’t seen many of the long-term effects start to take place. The only way to mitigate some of the effects of e-waste is to use e-waste recycling programs. By recycling your old electronics, you can prevent more e-waste from ending up in landfills. Not knowing what will happen in the future can be terrifying, but you can do your part to help make it better for us and the generations to come.