With the advancement of technology in our society, electronics are becoming an integral part of businesses and households. This creates greater ease in individuals' lives, but a more problematic area for sustainability comes with this.
As more devices are produced, this will create a more significant amount of waste that needs specific recycling practices to prevent additional hazardous situations for our environment. Here are some recommendations to help create waste-to-energy solutions.
Why Recycling Electronics is Important
Electronics may offer more convenience, but because of the number of items produced, it is becoming a problematic issue for our world. In 2019 alone, over 53 million tons of electronic wastes were generated, and with the use going up, this number will continue to grow.
The products can require materials such as oil and copper to help create them, which also affects our natural environment with the extra demand for resources. Multiple items are also needed to build devices that can be considered hazardous, including lead and mercury. These products can have a negative impact on the health of humans and the environment due to chemicals that are released during production and use.
In addition, there also needs to be the consideration of what it takes to get the product to store. Transport alone creates more greenhouse gases and pollution that affect our planet. This makes it more vital to find sustainable repurposing to help reduce the production levels.
What Is Considered Electronic Waste?
Multiple products are on the market that can be considered electronic waste and can include:
● Microwave ovens
● Some toys
● Laboratory equipment
● Televisions
● Computers
● Scanners
● Radios
● VCR and DVD players
● Kitchen equipment, including microwaves and toasters
These are just a few examples that can give you a general idea of what might fall into the category of E-waste. And because most of these items are found in businesses and homes, it equates to billions of products every year, so a more significant recycling need is required for long-term sustainability.
What Are Some Ways to Recycle the Waste?
As technology has advanced, finding sustainable recycling services has also become a leading concern. Offering solutions that will help effectively dispose of the products without posing a higher risk or hazard for the environment is crucial.
Fortunately, multiple companies on the market specialize in electronic waste solutions. There are a few distinct ways to contribute to recycling any E-waste.
Donation
One long-term solution is to make sure that you are donating any electronics that can be purchased by others while at the same time keeping them out of the landfills for a longer period. Some excellent options for donation locations are schools, non-profits, or lower-income families that may need the extra support.
Reuse
Another suggestion is to choose to purchase used items for your company. There are several situations where you may find things that are still in excellent condition and come at a more negligible cost than buying something newer.
Recycling
When it comes to recycling, the different products will be separated to be broken down into pieces by hand. With some companies, the items may be put into a shredding machine or melted down and refined in some cases. If there are raw materials, they will be removed to be utilized in other products on the market. The hazardous substances are processed responsibly based on the Environmental Protection Agencies requirements for proper disposal.
Support Green Companies
Another great addition to the market are companies working towards sustainable and green options for producing electronics. There's a promotion of methods to help reduce the carbon footprint that the company can have while at the same time making their electronics not only up table but great repairable.
In addition, supporting companies that promote more sustainable choices can increase the demand for a more innovative way of producing their product. In addition, once the need meets a certain level it will help create a recycling methodology that benefits everyone, and this act alone can, in turn, lower the overall costs of the product.
Part them Out
Most electronics will have rare components, and if you are in the position to do so, you might consider trying to salvage the more valuable pieces. The CPU, RAM, and motherboards all contain raw materials that can be resold or reused to upgrade your outdated electronics or build new ones. The process does take time, and knowledge, but it may be worth the effort because it can potentially put money in your pocket and reduce the need to use raw materials. .
Sell them Back
Several companies have buyback programs that allow you to take the old electronics and resell them to a third party or be recycled. In most cases, the participating companies will have consumers return the items to participating retailers, and in exchange they receive an in-store gift card value dependent on the condition and type of device.
Other programs have the consumers mail the products into specific locations or sell the devices to a chosen network of companies that refurbish them. There are also buyback programs similar to extended warranties, but the consumer is purchasing insurance against future upgrades instead of buying additional coverage for the device.
How Is Product Destruction Beneficial?
Product destruction works to incorporate individuals and machines to help break down the products into a more sustainable state. Taking the time to implement the breakdown can reduce the need for landfills and the use of fossil fuels.
How Does Product Destruction Work?
The items are broken down into pieces that are six inches or less in size to help with processing. Destruction is encouraged because it reduces the risk of the products resurfacing later and causing harm to your company's brand. In addition, the remnants can be reused in recycling or converted into Refuse-Derived Fuel sources that promote clean energy.
And because many items contain various components like toxic substances and chemicals that need to be processed carefully, destruction helps ensure your company stays compliant with disposal methods.
The most common items involved in product destruction include:
● Items with images or logos
● Inaccurate package designs
● Damaged products
● Inventory that's no longer usable
● Discontinued items
LJP Waste Solutions: Keeping Our Environment in Mind
Taking the time to donate your E-waste is not only beneficial for the environment and natural resources, but it can also offer tax incentives for your business. LJP is a sustainably-minded company working towards zero landfill initiatives to promote practices to promote clean energy. We work with all our clients to streamline a system that works to find environmental sustainability for all our clients.
We offer solutions that help educate all our clients, so if you would like more information or a free consultation, contact us today or give us a call at 507-625-1968 today.