About E-waste
In the past years, one of the noticeable trends is the easy access to newer and lesser priced models in electronic goods such as computers, laptops, phones, TVs, etc. Being easily accessible, there has been an increase in the use of electronic items. This has led to an increase in E-waste. But what is E-waste?
The definition of e-waste that has been agreed is: “E-Waste is a term used to cover items of all types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by the owner as waste without the intention of re-use.”
E-Waste Contributing To The Growth Of Waste Streams
E-waste is projected to grow by almost 40% by 2030. One of the reasons for E-Waste’s exponential growth is due to the rising consumer demand. Moreover, improving technology and reduction in replacement cycles are contributing to the growth of e-waste. Having the means to enjoy a better, comfortable lifestyle has created a downstream problem of disposing of these means in a safe manner.
E-waste Disposal In A Safe Manner
Recycling is one of the means of ensuring the safe disposal of E-waste. The recycling process recovers material from old devices to use in new products. Recycling of E-waste
- Reduces the toxin levels in the environment
- Avoids occupation of Landfill space
- Repurposes electronics and metals
- Impacts human health positively
A normal recycling process involves
- Sorting the E-Waste by hand and extracting the copper and batteries and copper for quality control.
- Shredding the Items into pieces as small as 100mm to prepare the e-waste to be thoroughly sorted. This is also where the data destruction takes place.
- Further reduction in sizes of the small debris. Dust is extracted and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
- Removal of steel and iron are removed from the debris using a magnet
- Separation of aluminum, copper, and brass from the non-metallic content. The metallic component is then reused and resold as raw materials.
- Separation of plastic from the glass content using water
- Post-separation all raw materials are then resold.
Apart from the normal judicious recycling process, there are other ways to recycle E-Waste judiciously. Some of them are
- Postponing the recycling of a working device, by donating it to organizations supporting needy causes.
- Getting e-waste recycled with a recycler who recycles in a responsible manner, and has a minimal impact on human health and the environment.
- Opting for recycling options provided by the electronic outlets based out of neighbourhood. Options could be exchanging old electronic items for new.
- Ensuring that an e-waste recycling policy is set up and e-waste is audited against those policies.
Looking to get your e-waste recycled responsibly we are there to help you. Get in touch with us today at ASSHRED