How to Safely Recycle Your Old Technology
November 08, 2011, By Tom McNulty 0 comments
Constant innovations in the world of electronics mean that today's hot new computer, smart phone, Kindle/iPad, iPod/MP3 player, may quickly become tomorrow's paperweight, skipping stone or piece of junk. That's because hotter, newer models are always coming out, and a lot of people just HAVE to own them.
Trashing outdated electronics is a bad option.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 40 million computers become obsolete (at least to their upgrading owners) each year, but only about 6 million are recycled. Plus, the Consumer Electronics Association estimates that the average American household owns 24 electronic products. Add to computers all the printer/scanners, HD TVs, DVD players, batteries, external hard drives, stereo tuners and speakers...even refrigerators...that get replaced annually, and you've got a potentially sky-high pile of old products made of potentially hazardous materials.
Just throwing them away is irresponsible and wasteful. It not only creates excess waste, it's dangerous. Most electronics contain significant levels of materials like mercury, sulphur, cadmium, lead, silicon and beryllium oxide, and small or trace amounts of a dozen other elements that may be harmful to the environment and the creatures who live in it, including people. The corrosive chemicals can seep into the ground and groundwater, and burning them releases toxic fumes into the air. Everybody loses.
Safe Ways to dispose of electronics
Don't give me the old "I'm only throwing one little thing away" rationale. If everybody used that excuse for not recycling, electronic junk and everything else would multiply grotesquely. Given the 6 billion-plus consumers on earth, we'd soon be up to our necks in it.
There are three more earth-friendly options for your old electronics:
- Sell them on eBay or Craig's List.
- Donate them to a thrift store or charitable organization
- Recycle them so their raw materials can be separated and repurposed.
As far as selling or donating your used electronics, there's always somebody out there who'd love a used computer, cell phone or other technological device that works and is affordable.
Reselling and donating used electronics don't require much advice. But recycling takes some knowledge, and here it is.
NEXT: What can be recycled?
