On average, each American household contains 24 electronic products. Unfortunately, the turnover for cell phones, tablets, and computers is shorter than ever before.
The United States generated 6.92 million tons of e-waste in 2009. That equals 46 pounds per person in one year.
Clearly, we can’t keep disposing of electronics at this rate if we want to keep our planet habitable. Read on to learn all about electronic waste disposal and how e-cycling works.
Electronic waste or e-waste refers to electronic products that consumers no longer want. These include outdated phones, computers, appliances, and so on.
But unlike other household items, these items can’t just go in the trash. Many electronic devices contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and more.
When e-waste makes it to a landfill, these chemicals leach into our soil, air, and groundwater.
That is why proper e-waste disposal is vital.
E-cycling is the practice of reusing or harvesting usable electronic components at the end of their life cycle.
In fact, much of the e-waste that gets tossed is still functional and could be donated. Various organizations such as Students Recycling Used Technology collect and refurbish donated computer equipment for redistribution to schools and charities around the world.
Even non-functioning devices can be used for good. Typically they can be refurbished and get a new life.
By focusing on reusing and recycling electronics, we can cut down on the trash that is choking our planet. Visit Cjdecycling.com for more info on e-cycling.
There are various reasons why e-cycling matters.
The first is an obvious one: to protect our planet. When e-waste is reused, this reduces the need to mine raw materials for these goods.
Plus, as we’ve already mentioned, it prevents those items from being disposed of in landfills.
As a business, e-cycling is important for brand reputation. First of all, if the equipment is improperly disposed of, you are sending the message that you are contributing to the climate emergency.
On the other hand, responsible e-waste management shows your customers that you are doing your part for the good of the earth.
Thirdly, improper e-waste dumping could put you at risk of a data disaster. The number of data breaches in 2021 jumped 68% from the previous year making it the highest number of breaches in history.
Data breaches often lead to loss of trust in clients or customers. Remember, that hardware often contains a large number of components, some of which likely store some level of data. That is why secure data destruction is vital.
There you have it. We hope now you have a better sense of electronic waste disposal methods, risks, and benefits.
By implementing proper e-cycling in your home or business you can do your part to protect the planet, give used electronics another life, and protect your data from breaches.
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