We all use electronic devices every day. As anyone who’s ever owned any sort of electronic device knows, they aren’t meant to last forever. Some of us might use our devices as long as they continue to work, which might only be a few years, but many like to upgrade to new models frequently. Regardless of why you buy new devices, we all need to upgrade eventually, which leaves us with many unwanted and unusable devices. Many don’t know what to do with these devices and think they can simply be thrown away, but getting rid of your old electronics is not that easy.
Due to electronics being discarded incorrectly, there is a huge amount of electronic waste polluting landfills around the world. It’s extremely important that everyone is educated on the dangers of e-waste and how they can prevent it. Learn more about why you should care about e-waste and how you can help save the planet.
It Produces Harmful Toxins
You’re surrounded by electronics all day long, so you likely don’t think there’s anything harmful about them. However, these devices are being maintained, which keeps them safe for us to use and be exposed to. This isn’t the case for electronics that end up in landfills. Electronics are safe when you’re taking care of them properly, but when they’re disposed of in the garbage and go to landfills, they can seep toxic materials. Some of the toxins found in e-waste include heavy metals like lead and mercury. This affects far more than only the soil at landfills. Toxins can spread through soil, eventually contaminating crops and the livestock that feed on it, both of which humans may later consume, along with these toxins. When toxins leak into the soil, they can also spread to bodies of water, making many communities’ water sources unsafe and harming ecosystems.
In addition to toxins spreading through the soil, many landfills burn waste, which is extremely harmful. When electronics are burned, they release harmful toxins and greenhouse gas emissions into the air, exposing workers and nearby communities to them and harming their health. Not only are those close to the landfills affected, but once these toxins are in the air, they can travel far, putting many others at risk and harming the environment.
Many of us may not see the direct effects of electronic waste just yet. Much of the e-waste that gets placed in landfills gets shipped to other countries and often ends up in impoverished areas. Keeping harmful waste out of landfills is incredibly important in protecting human health, especially for workers and communities impacted by e-waste in landfills. Without proper electronic waste management, this problem will continue to grow and cause widespread harm.
It Wastes Materials
The effects that toxins from e-waste have can be devastating. While this is a huge issue and should be enough to make anyone concerned about the growing e-waste problem, it isn’t the only reason you should care. Even when your device is no longer usable, many of the elements and materials it contains can still have another life. Your everyday devices contain precious metals like gold, silver, and copper that can all be used to create new devices without the need to source new materials. We all have so many nonrenewable materials like these in the world, and allowing them to sit unused in landfills is a huge waste that we need to prevent.
Making use of the materials that we already have access to and recycling unwanted electronics has many benefits. Since these materials are already sourced, it’s much easier to create new devices from recycled materials. By making an effort to recycle your old devices, you can help lower the demand for new materials to be sources for future products. You might even choose to find a project that can help you upcycle electronics yourself or find a local program that uses old electronics.
Find a Responsible Electronics Recycler
To ensure that you’re doing your part in preventing toxic substances like e-waste from entering landfills, you need to work with an electronics recycling center that will handle all of your unwanted electronics responsibly. At Newtech Recycling, we know how important the future of tech recycling is in protecting human health and our environment and are committed to providing businesses and organizations with a safe way to dispose of electronics. Together, we can do our part in reducing the amount of e-waste in the world.
Contact Newtech Recycling today to see how we can help you recycle your unwanted electronic devices.