Electronics Recycling In Today’s Digital World

Have you ever heard of electronics recycling?  If you work in any industry, you have likely heard of it, although the average person may not have.

What Is Electronic Recycling?

Electronics recycling essentially recycles electronic waste (e-waste).  It is the trash created from surplus, broken, and obsolete electronic devices.  It would be best if you didn’t simply dispose of your electronics by throwing them in the trash since they contain toxic and hazardous materials that need to be dealt with appropriately.

By recycling electronics, the parts are safely handled, and old and obsolete parts are made new again and used in updated electronics. For example, cell phones are frequently replaced since they have such a short useful life.  Other popular electronics that need proper disposal are televisions, laptops, desktops, tablets, and more.  If they end up directly in a landfill, it can result in hazardous conditions.

According to a UN study, about 50 million tons of e-waste were discarded worldwide.  Additionally, there are many valuable materials in these outdated devices, such as titanium, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, iron, tin, fossil fuels, and more.  All of these are valuable and can be recycled. In addition, plastic, glass, and metals of all kinds can be recycled.

Why Should We Participate In Electronics Recycling?

Hazardous materials will be kept from landfills when participating in electronics recycling, but the materials used in newer materials will be fewer, making new devices more environmentally friendly.

With global warming and so many other environmental concerns, we all share a responsibility to provide for future generations and doing our part to make the global environment a better place. Many individuals and organizations are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint but may have concerns about data security and privacy. Fortunately, some professionals specialize in sustainable practices while ensuring data protection. If you’re interested, click here to discover the processes and methods used by experts in the recycling field.  Recycling anything can are a major step towards meeting that goal.

What Is The Electronics Recycling Process?

When processing e-waste for electronics recycling, there are many steps to turn the old into new.  Some companies specialize in these services and have security measures to protect all data and information from previous owners.

Collection

The process of collecting e-waste from multiple locations in safe and secure containers.

Transportation

Once collected, the electronics to be recycled are transported to an electronics recycling facility.

Sorting

Each component after gets sorted into the appropriate category such as plastics, metals, glass, etc…

Shredding

The electronics need to be broken down and cleaned to be used safely in future products to be reused. Shredding the components allow for cleaning and preparation.

Separation

There are several methods for product separation, such as powerful magnets, mechanical processes, and even water processes for separation.

Prepare For Sale

Once all of these processes are complete, the final result is raw materials sold and re-used.

How Much Electronics Recycling Is There?

We are definitely in a digital world more than ever.  We went from two desktops, an iPad, and four cell phones ten years ago in my home alone.  Each person in the house has a laptop, Chromebook, cell phone, iPad, and far too many televisions.  If our home is any indication (which I believe it is) of the increase in the digital footprint within homes, electronics recycling is more crucial than ever for everyone’s safety and health.

Additionally, many states have laws mandating e-waste recycling, and it is expected that soon many more states will institute similar laws.