Due to our reliance on electronic devices, electronic wastes (e-wastes) has become a growing form of pollution in our world today that has led to a large number of these devices being manufactured and disposed on regular basis.
According to a recent research, an estimated number of about 300million computers and about 1billion mobile phones are produced every year.
Electronic waste represents about 70 percent of the United state overall toxic wastes and is hazardous to human health as well as to our environment.
Electronic wastes are usually either buried or incinerated in landfills where it pollutes the land, water, and air, therefore causing public health problems.
The smoke from burning electronic wastes can cause respiratory ailments like asthma and lung cancer.
While the leaching (outpouring) of mercury, lead, and cadmium (heavy metals commonly used in electronic devices) into soil and water can lead to kidney failure, bone damage, birth defects, cancer, mental illness, and death.
Therefore, businesses that produce electronic devices must take initiative to properly dispose off electronic wastes because proper disposal equals less pollution, better resource conservation, and greater business continuity.
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Possible Ways to Properly Dispose (E-Wastes) Electronic Wastes (electronic waste disposal near me)
Throwing away electronic devices is detrimental (tending to cause harm) to the environment as they are brought to landfills where they will be buried or incinerated.
If they are still fully functional i.e old electronic devices, they can be donated to schools, churches, and charitable organizations.
Used DVD players can be used by daycare centers to play educational videos for their pupils.
If an electronic device is too old or too damaged to donate, look for a closer electronic recycling center near me/you (e-waste recycling near me) to recycle your electronic wastes.
According to research, many electronic waste recyclers dump their electronic wastes in Third world landfills where workers manually process electronic wastes and are exposed to hazardous substances.
Reliance on electronic devices is an inevitable aspect of modern life and business, however, this technological advancement should not be at the expense of the environment.
Proper disposal of electronic waste helps prevent pollution and public health problems, also, businesses can operate productively and profitably when pollution and public health problems are avoided.
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The following are ways you can safely dispose your electronic waste:
- Give your electronic wastes to a certified electronic waste recycling center near me/you
- Give back to your electronic companies and drop off points in exchange for new products with discounts.
- Donating your outdated technology
- Sell off your outdated technology
- Manage your equipment properly
Taking electronic items to the waste and recycling centers, looking for an electronic waste recycling center in your area can be a very good way to recycle electronic wastes.
This can be done by storing the waste and send it to the electronic waste recycling center closer to your location.
Many electronic companies have an exchange policy where you can send all of your outdated (no longer produced or used) electronic gadgets and buy a new one, they sometimes offer a discount when purchasing a new item.
Some companies even provide recycling services including drop-off points where you can drop all your old electronic items such as old phones and tablets, which are then recycled.
Selling off or giving away your unused electronic devices are other great electronic wastes disposal techniques that you can adapt to manage electronic wastes prudently.
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One way to dispose your old electronics is to sell them on a popular site such as eBay or Craiglist. Better still, you can find many local electronic shops that are ready to buy your old electronic goods.
Your old electronic devices can be donated to others such as to an NGO or to a needy student instead of wasting or disposing of those items.
But you need to be very careful when giving away to another as your electronics may contain some of your very important data.
You can find several organizations such as Give Now who arrange electronic goods donation programs.
Another good idea to minimize your electronic waste is to rent it, mostly if you barely use specific items.
For instance, if you infrequently need a video projector for your business, rather than buy it, you may consider renting it.
It’s a very good idea to manage your electronic equipment properly, you can pick a particular space to keep your electronic items altogether but ensure that it is convenient and accessible when choosing a storage location for your devices.
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Organize devices following their usage type and put them in separate desks or boxes.
Make sure that your gadgets are stored at an appropriate temperature as some electronic products can be sensitive to a dry or cold environment.
Try to remove potentially hazardous materials from your devices that can cause fire spillage or permanent damage to your electronics.
Technology is evolving, resulting in people buying new electronic devices without considering the worth those products will bring in their daily lives.
As a result, more and more electronic wastes are produced every year.
Always try to be considerate while purchasing a new electronic item, make sure that the product you are buying is useful and can be used for a long period. By doing so, you can avoid buying unnecessary electronic items.
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