What Is E-Waste and Why Should You Care?
We rely on electronic devices—maybe a bit too much. As technology advances, “old” technology (usually only by a few years) is phased out and replaced with new tech. All that older technology must go someplace, and too much of it ends up in landfills. This is the problem of electronic waste, also known as e-waste. Read on to learn more about what e-waste is and why you should care.
E-Waste: A Definition
As you might have already figured out, e-waste consists of discarded electronic and electrical devices. As you can also surmise, that covers a lot of ground.
E-waste includes smartphones, laptops, tablets, computers, television sets, game consoles, and far too many other devices and their attachments to list here. Despite the high initial expense of these items, people view them as dispensable, and the waste keeps on coming. Millions of tons of it, in fact, enter landfills every year, and more is ahead.
Toxicity and More
Importantly, e-waste isn’t ordinary garbage. When disposed of improperly alongside biodegradable waste in regular landfills, e-waste harms the environment and people in the long term.
E-waste contains different toxic substances—such as cadmium, mercury, lithium, and lead—that contaminate water and soil and affect plants and wildlife for the worse. In short, improper disposal of e-waste leaves a ticking time bomb for the future. Fortunately, engaging in sustainable waste management practices benefits the environment, our communities, and subsequent generations.
Eliminating E-Waste
The practices of reduce, reuse, and recycle are especially applicable to e-waste. Naturally, you should try to curb the desire to continually upgrade to new technology. If you really need an upgrade, then consider donating older yet functional devices to charities, nonprofits, and overseas educational organizations that could use them.
When it’s definitely time to retire an old device, recycling is one of the most effective and common e-waste disposal methods. Through recycling, valuable materials like gold, silver, copper, and aluminum can be retrieved and reused in new products. This helps conserve natural resources while diminishing environmentally destructive mining activities. Retrieving the more harmful elements in e-devices and reusing or properly disposing of them also helps the environment.
Your choices for e-waste disposal don’t stop there. Many manufacturers and retailers offer disposal services as well as buy-back and take-back programs. Some sellers also offer discounts on new devices in exchange for the old.
Steps for a Brighter Future
What are your next steps? If you have a passion for sustainability, reevaluating your own e-waste habits is just the beginning. Remember that e-devices rely on power to back their use, and that extends beyond batteries. For a greener lifestyle and brighter future, continue to minimize consumption, reduce your reliance on e-devices and other electrical items, and support companies that put sustainability at the forefront.
We’ve addressed what e-waste is and why you should care. If everyone manages e-device use, strives for sustainability, and makes informed choices, we can mitigate and even eliminate the harmful effects of e-waste.