E-waste is typically classified as electronic products that are not working, outdated, or unwanted. Usually, these take on the forms of outdated computers, televisions, DVD players, fax machines, copiers, and more. When electronic products reach the end of their lifespan, discarding them can be a little more difficult than going down to your local landfill and putting them in with regular household waste. The process of disposing of unwanted electronics has been a challenge since the 1970s and there have been some massive changes in this industry.
The electronic equipment or electronic waste that is being discarded can be disposed of in a few ways such as donation and upcycling, disassembly, and more. E-waste needs to be properly broken down as there are often a series of chemicals that can leak from the metals that are inside electronic waste as it breaks down.
Some of the most common types of E-waste items for home appliances include microwaves, home entertainment devices, fans, and heaters. Older cell phones, computers, printers, copiers, hard drives, servers, imaging equipment, power distribution systems, and more are popular you waste categories for office equipment.
The amount of E-waste in our world has begun to increase simply because products are becoming obsolete at a much faster rate. Because technological advances are coming to us much faster, we are having to dispose of more electronic waste. Massive surges of electronic waste also have a tendency to happen such as when VCR players were replaced with DVDs and when LED televisions grew cheaper in price.
The Metals In E-waste
Modern electronics are safe to be around as long as they are above ground. As soon as modern electronics are buried however the toxic materials that can be found inside the internal workings like cadmium, mercury, lead, and beryllium can pose a serious risk to the environment as well as our soil. When E-waste simply gets buried in a landfill without appropriate disassembly it can lead to ongoing microscopic traces of these elements that can make their way into the water supply through the ground.
As we continue to dispose of more E-waste in landfills the risk of these traces of toxic material showing up in groundwater also increases. This is why it’s so important to establish a proper disposal procedure.
As we know that there are various dangers to e-waste for the average citizen, it’s important that we dispose of electronic waste properly. New recycling programs are working to mitigate the environmental risks of electronics in landfills. If you have electronic waste make sure that you are disposing of them with approved recycling programs. Contact us, your waste recycling specialist, or check your local city website to find out more about E-waste programs in your area for safe disposal.
Rather than risking the environment, partnering with the right service for safe disposal can keep you and future generations safe.