E -Waste is a major problem for many nations around the world. Statistics show that we dump around 2.12 billion tons of waste each year. This can be attributed to the fast-paced nature of industrial development and urbanization.
Waste is a part of every industry. Whether it is manufacturing, IT, agriculture or service industries, certain wastes are inevitable. A green rubbish removal Sydney company explains that in order to stop the harmful effects of these waste materials and reduce the amount being produced, recycling has become an integral part of every industry.
Advantage of Recycling
Recycling waste materials offers so many benefits. The environmental factor is huge, but there are also other benefits. Let’s discuss them below:
Recycling creates jobs Recycling creates jobs across all sectors of our economy – not just at material recovery facilities but also at companies that produce recycled products and businesses that provide supplies or services to facilities or accept recovered materials for processing by others.
- Saves energy
Recycling materials and turning them into usable materials is also less energy-intensive than producing them from scratch. This is because recycled materials require less processing to turn them into usable products
- Reduces the need to collect raw materials
No new raw materials such as paper, steel, aluminum, paper, plastic and glass are needed when old materials are refashioned into useful materials. This conserves natural resources and reduces emissions involved in new material processing.
- Protects ecosystems
The trash we throw away causes real damage to ecosystems and the environment, both on land and in the water. Recycling is so beneficial as it protects these ecosystems from pollution. There’s no question that maintaining pristine conditions for these ecosystems is crucial for our survival.
- Reduces carbon and methane emissions
By reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills, less methane gas is escaping into the atmosphere. Recycling also cuts down on carbon emissions because it eliminates the need for carbon releasing processes to produce products from raw materials.
Recycling Electronic Components
E-waste is the fastest-growing source of waste in the U.S. and other countries across the globe. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know it exists or understand its impacts.
The majority of e-waste doesn’t end up at recycling facilities. Instead, it’s illegally dumped or shipped overseas to be destroyed by burning. This is because, if companies don’t dispose of e-waste, they will run out of space to store old equipment.
Considering that effective waste disposal is a challenging process, recycling all your old electronic junk might just be one of the best things you can do for the planet and your business.
But what exactly is E-waste?
What is E-waste?
Electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, is any discarded electronics that are no longer used or needed. Computers, televisions, refrigerators, monitors, cell phones and even air condition units are all considered e-waste. The term covers old, broken and discarded electrical products.
Electronics and electrical appliances are a part of our lives, whether we realize it or not. But, each device we buy and use eventually becomes old or broken and is either thrown away or recycled, but the former is more common.
Why is E-waste Important?
E-waste is important because it contains a lot of valuable material, including heavy metals and other materials that can be extracted and reused. Common valuable fractions in e-waste include gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, copper and nickel.
With proper recovery processes, these fractions can be refashioned without losing their integrity, so they can be reintegrated into the production stream. The recovery of these materials could also provide a new source of income for developing communities.
Pros of Recycling E-waste
Recycling is important to every industry, but there are several reasons why it’s particularly important for the IT industry. Obviously, being able to recover valuable materials from e-waste is one of the biggest benefits of e-scrap recycling. Here are the other pros of recycling e-waste:
- Lowers solid waste production
Electronic waste makes up a significant portion of solid waste. Statistics show that it takes up 5% of all municipal solid waste. As a result of recycling, there’s a reduction in e-waste production and the total amount of solid waste in the environment.
When solid production is reduced, environmental pollution is also reduced.
- Reduces exposure to safety risks
Data thieves are everywhere, trying to find any way to acquire your data. Electronics that have been disposed of improperly could end up in the hands of the wrong people and leak sensitive information.
Recycling your old electronic asset safeguard your sensitive data from this risk.
- Minimizes chemical emissions
Although E-waste contains some valuable fractions, it also contains toxic chemicals and materials, including mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, flame retardants, brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chlorides.
In the event of improper disposal of electronic waste, these materials and chemicals end up in the environment and pollute it.
- Reduces greenhouse emissions
Electronics manufacturing releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The improper disposal of e-waste exacerbates this problem. The good thing is, recycling provides a perfect solution for this.
It is estimated that recycling 1-ton of e-waste can prevent 1.44 tons of CO2 emissions. We all know that greenhouse gases can cause climate change, which is why we must realize the importance of recycling in reducing greenhouse emissions.
- Protects our health
E-waste leaches toxic materials to nearby water bodies, which can easily get into our bodies and lead to health issues.
When e-waste is burned or left to rot, toxic chemicals leach into groundwater and soil. These chemicals include brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and are linked to chronic illnesses such as cancer. Electronic waste also contains heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, all of which are a major risk to human health.
The health risks from e-waste can all be avoided through recycling.
Conclusion
Recycling is a great waste management technique in each and every industry but is especially vital in the IT industry. While producing some e-wastes is inevitable, we need to be more aware of the consequences of our actions and how we can reduce the amount of e-waste that we create each day.
Leave a Reply