Electronics are one of the fastest growing waste streams, and it shouldn’t be a surprise; as new devices, models, and features roll out faster and faster, and as the life of our gadgets get shorter and shorter, we almost have too much than we know what to do with.
Of course, the easiest way to dispose of your ever-growing electronics pile may look like a straight line from the junk-drawer to the trash can, but it’s a siren call you’ll have to ignore. While the mouth of a trash can be a tempting home for most of your household junk, your electronics don’t belong in a landfill due to their hazardous materials as well as the potential security compromises.
Luckily, there’s a much better alternative. Recycling your devices, whether through trade-ins or at a recycling center, is an option that can benefit the world, the electronics industry, your community, and even you.
The Safety Hazards
So what are these hazardous materials we’re talking about here? Are my electronics really dangerous?
Many of your electronics, while safer in your home and intact, don’t fare well mixed in a landfill. Lead, mercury, and other heavy metals can be very hazardous when disposed of improperly, potentially affecting the air, land, and water. Certain batteries have also been known to start fires when improperly disposed of in both garbage vehicles and landfills.
A large number of states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York have even banned certain electronics from entering their landfills for public safety.
Recycling centers are a different matter, as they have the facilities to properly sort and dispose of electronics, so that their more hazardous materials can be safely removed.
The Security Hazards
If you’re one of the vigilant folks that consistently wipe your devices before throwing them out, then congratulations on the extra layer of data security. If you’re not, it’s never too late to start.
Unbeknownst to some, the life of your electronics doesn’t end once the lights are out or once they’re abandoned in the garbage. Even if your device appears functionally dead to the world, it doesn’t mean that the data within can’t be extracted once disassembled or fixed. Sensitive information, login credentials, and secret journal entries can all be accessed if a tech savvy individual stumbles upon your discarded device.
For business owners, you should be especially conscious of what happens to your company’s obsolete devices. Any item that hasn’t been wiped could contain client information, financial documents, business credentials, or other kinds of data that you wouldn’t want to fall into unsavory hands.
Fortunately, your local electronic recycling centers follow procedures that involve thoroughly wiping data from devices during processing. Most of our devices house a variety of important information that can’t afford to be compromised, and it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Conservation of Resources
Even if your device is no longer top-of-the-line, the materials within such as gold and silver are still valuable to electronics manufacturers. These are resources that would otherwise need to be mined from the Earth, requiring funding, labor, and time.
Recycling or trading-in your devices means that these materials can be reused and put into new electronics. Natural resources are conserved, and manufacturers can meet sustainability goals.
The Benefit for Your Community
If your recycled device is of good quality, it could potentially be refurbished. Refurbished devices are pre-owned but tested to the same standards as a new product.
Refurbished devices can also be given as donations to schools or are sold for reduced prices that can be much more affordable to those who need them, especially as we move towards an increasingly digital world. Many workplaces and schools require a laptop, phone, or tablet that may not be easily accessible for all, but recycled and refurbished devices provide affordable options for people in need.
The Benefit for You
Besides the obvious health benefits that come from a clean environment, many companies will reimburse you for trading in your old devices or will count that as a credit towards a new one. There’s no need to build up the junk drawer, and you can still get a new device out of it!
Your TVs, computers, printers, and phones can be better put to rest at a recycling center that knows how to take care of them. In addition, your private information will be better protected, your world a healthier place, and you can help people in need; if you haven’t started recycling your electronics, start now!
Find an electronics recycling center near you and dispose of your devices safely and responsibly!