Electronics have a short lifespan. When outdated, they become e-waste or are thrown out, possibly ending up in landfills with hazardous materials.
You can prevent that by following these easy steps to recycle your electronics properly. Most common electronics, including cell phones, computers, printers and appliances, can be recycled.
Could you take it to a Recycler?
Whether working from home, in a small shop or in a large manufacturer, businesses nationwide rely on electronics to keep operations running. This also means they’ll likely have plenty of old electronics to get rid of at some point. Rather than throwing them away or leaving them lying around, it’s better to take your business’s electronic devices to an approved recycler for proper disposal.
Most e-waste isn’t accepted in curbside recycling bins and should be taken to a local recycling plant or electronics store with a drop-off location.
You might be interested in learning more about what is ecoatm? Many tech manufacturers have their equipment recycling programs, including buying back old devices and discounting them on future purchases. Retailers such as Best Buy also host electronics recycling events, and some offer dedicated drop-off locations for cell phones and rechargeable batteries.
Shred It
E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams due to our ever-changing technology and society’s desire for the newest high-tech devices. Many discarded electronics contain toxic elements such as lead, mercury and polyvinyl chloride, which harm humans and the environment.
Even if your discarded device isn’t working, it still has parts that can be recycled. Electronics recycling is the most responsible way to dispose of your outdated equipment. It’s also the most sustainable, as you can donate or sell working equipment for reuse and resale or recycle them to recover valuable materials such as copper, silver, gold and palladium.
Removing any data from the device before donating or recycling your equipment is a good idea. This is known as sanitizing and is recommended for most types of devices. This process typically involves deleting files from a hard drive or using free downloadable software to overwrite the device’s data. This prevents someone from recovering personal information from your discarded device and protects you against identity theft.
Dispose of It Properly
Some electronics contain hazardous components that require special disposal, so you can’t just throw them in the trash. Check the manufacturer’s website or your device’s manual to see if it contains mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, brominated flame retardants or other harmful substances. Anything containing these materials should be taken to a household or commercial hazardous waste facility for safe and responsible disposal.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur working out of your kitchen table or a large manufacturer employing thousands, nearly every business uses electronics to stay connected with customers and keep production running smoothly. As such, recycling e-waste should be standard practice for companies across America. Luckily, there are plenty of options for business owners.
Donate It
Businesses have a variety of reasons for recycling their E-waste. Besides the environmental benefits, it can help save money and keep data safe from hackers. Throwing old computers, printers and phones in the trash is a risky proposition that could leave sensitive information susceptible to theft. Also, some obsolete devices contain hard drives that could hold images of private documents. Additionally, many electronic devices such as CRT TVs, scanners and tools contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury or cadmium.
Thankfully, most outdated electronics, except old cathode ray tube televisions and some power tools, can be safely recycled. Several charities and organizations are available to accept your used electronics for reuse or recycling, including ecoATMs near me, schools and local senior centers. Before donating an electronic device, remember to wipe off all personal data and remove rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, you can sell your used electronics online via sites like eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.