The explosive development in the electronic industry has been of great benefit to society mainly due to the increase in cheap new devices. Nonetheless, this growth has, unfortunately, come with a rapidly escalating concern of e-waste or as they call it, the EOL (End of life) electronics.
In recent years, E-waste is significantly growing and piling up-a surge which now necessitates effective recycling initiatives. In fact, as per the World Economic Forum 2019 report, e-waste is by far the fastest-growing waste stream globally, reaching an approximate figure of 48.5 million tons of waste stream in 2018 alone!
This relentlessly growing concern can, however, be solved through electronic recycling. Even so, while dismantling and recycling electronics like computers is a great option to this issue, it still begs the question: is e-waste recycling essential and are there any benefits of recycling electronics?
To help you better understand this and much more, herein are several benefits of recycling electronics.
Benefits of Electronics Recycling:
•It Helps Conserve Natural Resources:
Numerous materials can be recovered from old electronic devices. These particular products can subsequently find use in creating new products hence reducing the need to mine new materials. For example, computer circuit boards and other electronics feature various metal components which can find an alternative use.
Furthermore, the glass and plastics that are present in televisions and computer monitors can also be recycled.
•It Helps Protect the Environment and Public Health:
Many electronics comprise hazardous or toxic components like lead and mercury that can harm the environment if carelessly disposed of. By reusing and recycling electronics, we can safely keep these dangerous materials from causing harm to both humans and the environment. For instance, computer monitors and televisions have lead.
Similarly, printed circuit boards also comprise harmful elements such as mercury, cadmium, chromium, not to mention lead. By recycling such products, these toxic elements are safely contained and cannot cause harm to both humans and the environment.
•It is a source of Employment:
Since a wide array of electronic devices can be effectively recycled, electronic recycling can effectively lead to job creation both on a local as well as global margin. This can be triggered by the fact that new organizations dealing with e-waste recycling will sprout while similar existing firms will further employ more individuals to recover recyclable electronic materials mainly due to the increase in e-waste recycling demand.
•It Supports the Community:
Similarly, disposing off and donating your old electronics can play a significant role in providing refurbished products like mobile phones and computers that can be of considerable help to schools, low-income families, as well as numerous non-profit organizations. Moreover, it also helps many individuals in society who could not have otherwise afforded such items to gain access to technology.
Summary:
Ultimately, rather than keeping your old electronics stored in your house or even dumping them in landfills, reusing or recycling them is a proper option which should be encouraged both by individuals as well as organizations. Considering the several benefits of recycling electronics mentioned above among many others, it is only right that we positively embrace this remarkable concept.
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