E-Waste and the Importance of Electronic Recycling

Society can immensely benefit with new cheap electronic devices. This explosive growth of electronics has made e-waste an important issue. E-waste is a growing concern which needs to be tackled effectively. Industry, policy makers and consumers are giving much attention to this issue. There are many consumers who do not know the actual process of recycling old electronics safely. So, it is important that they gain knowledge on the issue.

What is e-waste?
Devices like stereo, mobile phones, televisions and dated computer equipments are known as e-scrap, e-waste and end-of-life (EOL) electronic devices. You can recycle or refurbish these devices, though there are still large amounts of e-waste yet to be dumped to landfills. The rate of recycling is still very inadequate due to improper knowledge of people about this process.

Why is electronics recycling important?
Rich Source of Raw Material
Only 10%-15% of gold can be recovered in e-waste worldwide. It is said that deposits of precious metals are contained by electronic waste that estimate between 40 and 50 times costlier and richer than the ores within the earth's surface.

Solid Waste Management
Solid electronic wastes have rapidly escalated due to the combination of short product life cycle and the explosive growth in the field of electronics industry.

Toxic Materials
Toxic materials such as mercury, lead, chromium and cadmium are contained by old electronic devices. So it is very essential to make sure that these electronic items go through proper processing, so that these devices do not release toxic gases in the environment. Potentially toxic chemical flame retardants and other heavy metals are also contained by these electronic devices as well.
International Movement of Hazardous Waste

This international movement of electronic waste is going uncontrollable in some countries. This is because of the availability of cheap labor and old approaches to recycling of electronic wastes. This has resulted in risks of health to the local inhabitants of these countries. It has become an issue of great concern because these local residents are continuously exposed to the release of harmful toxic gases in the environment.

How can consumers recycle their old electronic devices?
Many recycling opportunities have been accessed by consumers according to the places where they live. The best way is to give computer equipments to those who need them and that can be used or refurbished. Remove all the personal information from the devices before donating them. Electronic recycling, authorized electronic recycler locations or corporate take back programs are included in other recycling opportunities. You can also recycle your batteries and cellphones with the help of other recycling programs that are available to aid consumers.

Thus, follow different e-waste recycling programs in order to refurbish or recycle them carefully and safely.

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 By Rajesh B Sanghvi


Article Source: E-Waste and the Importance of Electronic Recycling