10 Things You Should Know About Recycling Electronics
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023The average lifespan of a laptop is two years, and a cell phone is even less. Here are 10 things you need to know about electronic waste and e-waste disposal.
What is E-Waste?
Did you know that there are more cell phones than there are people on Earth? What remains unknown to most consumers is the final resting place of these electronic devices. For most consumers, out of sight and out of mind is the status quo. However, these devices do not just disappear.
Electronic waste or e-waste, is a term used to describe electronic products that have become unwanted, non-working or obsolete, or have reached the end of their useful life.
Some examples of e-waste include computers and computer components (keyboard, mouse), printers, monitors, smartphones, microwaves, televisions, radios, dryers, washing machines and electronic toys. Basically anything with a cable cord or battery.
Why You Should Recycle or Repair Your Electronics
Did you know that electronic waste is fastest growing waste stream globally? This is due to both the shortened lifespan of our electronic devices and societies demands for the newest high-tech products.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15 to 20 percent of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills, incinerators and are illegally exported to developing countries. This is dangerous because most electronic components possess toxic elements, including lead, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride and mercury. All these materials are extremely toxic to the environment and humans. This is why it is important to properly recycle your electronics.
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Export of E-waste
Another reason why it is important to properly recycle electronics is because e-waste is routinely exported to developing countries by irresponsible recyclers to places where they do not have the means to safetly recycle these products.
These foreign junkyards hire low-wage employees to pick through the few valuable components of often toxic old machines. The toxic electronic parts are left in the scrap yards or dumped into the land.
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Where are Electronics Recycled?
Electronics’ can be properly recycled at a local trusted electronics recycler. The E-cycling Central website allows users to select their state and city to find a trusted recycler nearest them. Additionally, many electronic recyclers offer pick-up services and collection events.
There are also ways to assure that your old electronic equipment is handled by a reputable recycler. It is important to check to see if your electronics recycler is first looking to see if old equipment can be reused before it is sold for parts. Reuse is always more environmentally sound and will give devices an extra couple years of usability.
If refurbishment is not an option, reputable recyclers will use mechanical shredding and a high-tech separation device to take out the usable metals, which can then be sent to a smelter.
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R2 and E-Stewards Certifications for Electronics Recycling
There are two standards for recycling electronics in the United Stated. And each standard has certification programs that the recycler has to go through and maintain. One is called the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment, known as e-Stewards, and the other is called Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices, known as R2. If an electronics recycler has either one of these certifications they are typically more trustworthy than a recycler without one.
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The Pile of Denial
Almost every home has a pile of unwanted and no longer used electronic devices. And in the recycling electronics world, this is called “the pile of denial.” This pile typically starts to grow over time, and normally it’s when someone is moving that they finally get rid of these items.
With that being said, it is best to recycle your electronics as soon as you know you are done using them. This is because electronic depreciation happens fast, so by the time a device gets to a recycler nearly all of the initial value is gone, making it even more difficult to refurbish a device.
Don’t Forget to Erase Your Data
Before you recycle or donate your computer or cell phone, be sure to erase your data from the device. You must do more than just deleting the files, you must “wipe” the hard drive so it can’t be retrieved by anyone else. Sometimes your recycler will do this for you or will do it for an extra charge. There are also free downloadable softwares that will overwrite your data.
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Paying to Get Things Done Right
Cathode ray tube or CRT TV’s contain on average six pounds of lead. This makes them extremely dangerous and costly to recycle correctly. With this being said, not all electronic devices are free to donate and drop off at an electronics recycler. CRT TV’s, printers, cartridges and many large home appliances are dangerous to recycle, so consumers should expect to pay a small fee to recycle them. It’s better to pay a little bit now than to suffer the environmental consequences later.
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The Battery Myth
Don’t throw nickel cadmium batteries in the garbage! They’re made from poisonous materials that can harm the environment—and they also need to be recycled. Try a website like Battery Recyclers of America to find a local disposal center. Best Buy offers free disposal of household batteries, and Firestone does the same for car batteries.
What Can be Done with E-Waste?
Each electronic device is made from precious metals like gold in circuit boards, copper for connective wires and silver in solder. When these electronic devices are properly recycled the precious materials are sold for profit and turned into something new. For instance, cell phone batteries can be used to make new smartphones and batteries, while zinc and aluminum from laptops and tablets can be used for metal plates, jewelry, cars or art.
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