Electronic equipment must be disposed of responsibly and safely so that it does not end up in landfills and pose danger to plant, animal and human lives.
In addition, businesses and individuals require safe disposal of e-waste for the protection of data that may be stored on electronic devices. Here are some key questions and answers that will help you gain a quick insight into e-waste recycling and its benefits for your business.
What is an electronic waste?
Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that are no longer usable and are in a condition to be disposed of by the owner. These include desktop computers, laptops, cellphones, fax machines, scanners, printers, cables, cable and satellite receivers, DVD players, music players, dish antennas, gaming consoles, air conditioners, stereos, radios, speakers, fans, lamps, lightbulbs, blenders, decorative lights, batteries, household appliances and more.
Many of these products contain toxic compounds that are best handled by trained recycling professionals in safe facilities.
What is e-waste recycling?
When recycled instead of simply thrown away as trash, electronic products and their components can be refurbished or dismantled to make new products. The concept of e-waste recycling is based on the three principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Homes and businesses can reduce the amount of e-waste they generate by making smart buying choices and maintaining electronic products so that they’ll last longer.
Donating or selling used electronics for reuse by others also helps control the creation of e-waste. And, lastly, recycling products that have completed their useful life enables environmentally safe disposal and reuse of their components in new manufacturing.
As electronic devices contain several toxic compounds, they cannot be simply discarded like trash in a landfill where they would contaminate the soil and water. Burning them is not an option as it would release toxic fumes into the air. Therefore, proper recycling is the only way to dispose of e-waste.
What is the right way for a business to recycle its e-waste?
Ideally, businesses should endeavor to control their e-waste generation at the purchase stage itself. This means buying only what is needed, investing in high-quality products that won’t require frequent repairs or replacement, and, once a device has reached its end of life, disposing of it safely with the help of a certified IT asset recycling service.
For a business, the main benefit of working with a trusted e-waste recycling company is that it can still recover some amount of money by selling used devices past their prime. In addition, a professional recycler has data protection systems in place to destroy the data on your devices.
Ryan Morrel from CJD E-Cycling explains instead of throwing out your old computers, you should sell them to a recycling company. By sending your electronic waste to a recycling service, you can be sure that you’re following an ethical and environmentally-friendly practice of e-waste disposal in line with the local laws.
Where are recycled electronics sent by the recycling company?
If you work with a responsible and trusted e-waste recycler, you can be sure that your discarded equipment will be collected, sorted and disposed of as per the legal and environmental standards set by the concerned local and national agencies.
After electronic waste is sorted, the items are sent to a licensed recycling facility where they are dismantled and segregated into different types of materials. The segregation process allows the recycler to separate minerals, metal, glass, chemicals, and plastic, and those components fit for reuse are used in the manufacturing of new products. The remaining are disposed of as per e-waste handling guidelines.
How does e-cycling benefit a business?
Aside from helping a business comply with local recycling regulations, safe e-cycling brings several other benefits for an organization. First, it enables the business to cultivate a brand reputation of an environmentally responsible enterprise that cares for the planet. Second, it ensures data security, enabling businesses to avoid data breach catastrophes and the financial setbacks associated with such incidents.
In addition, e-cycling allows a business to recover some value from products that are still functional but are no longer needed by the business, thus generating additional income through resale. Also, responsible for e-waste recycling with a trusted e-cycling company helps avoid grey-market reselling of your products or prototypes.
Lastly, companies want to dispose of their e-waste the right way as they don’t want to be held liable for toxic equipment being dumped in an illegal manner. This can have severe legal and branding consequences for modern business in times when consumers are increasingly becoming environmentally conscious.