The rising e-waste around the world has become a massive global crisis. It poses incredibly complex challenges for businesses, organizations, and governments to handle the issue without compromising technological progress.
The typical method of landfilling the waste does not work in this case. The chemicals and materials in e-waste — like lead, mercury, and arsenic — make it extremely toxic. When electronic waste is dumped into landfills, it leaches into the soil, and evaporates into the air, making the environment hazardous to be in. Communities that live close by or workers who work in those landfills or with e-waste become constantly exposed to dangerous fumes, poisonous water, and harmful soil.
What is the solution to the e-waste crisis then?
Electronic recycling, that is sustainable electronic recycling, is the safest option to dispose of toxic e-waste. This is a multi-tier process that doesn’t start with recycling at all. Think of it as an umbrella term that holds several concepts within. One of them is reuse.
Reuse is where you extend a device’s lifecycle by:
Instead of throwing away old tech devices, consumers with sustainable lifestyles donate disused electronics to schools, community programs, and families. Startups or small businesses can also benefit from lightly used electronics refurbished to perfection.
Here’s how to prepare your laptop before donating or recycling it.
Safe recycling remains the only option for devices that have reached their end of life or are damaged in any way. Here, recycling represents dismantling the discarded device, separating its useful parts from trash, and processing it as waste.
Only certified recycling organizations must handle this process as it can be toxic and harmful. If you don’t have access to local e-waste recycling near you, reach out to recycling companies with free e-waste pickups. These companies recycle and sell e-waste and turn it into usable materials.
Selling used tech is better than recycling as you extend the device’s lifecycle, keeping it in the economy longer. Selling your old laptop, PC, or smartphone has several benefits. Some include:
When you have a device in good working condition, sell it for cash instead of marking it as e-waste recycle. Amazon, Facebook, and BestBuy are good options. Companies like ours buy broken and damaged devices too. Here’s a quick rundown on which is a better selling platform for used devices, us or BestBuy. Check it out.
You can also support your company’s organizational IT upgrades by selling used tech in bulk to us.
For those with a broken tech device at hand trying to learn how to recycle e-waste or where to recycle e-waste, this part is for you.
Below we share 10 helpful resources that’ll take your discarded electronics off of you and recycle them professionally. Here they are:
Online selling platforms
Waste management businesses
E-waste recycling programs
Private businesses
Educational programs
Recycling companies
Non-profit organizations
Refurbishing companies
Manufacturing industries
Trade-in programs
Most recycling centers or facilities have advanced equipment for breaking down electronic waste and separating the metals which can be utilized for manufacturing different products.
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