Electronic waste (also known as e-waste) is discarded electrical or electronic devices. Improper disposal and processing of this waste matter tin can pb to adverse human and environmental amercement.

There are at present more mobile phones than the number of people around the earth (source). With our tendency to merely throw abroad products and continually purchase new ones, this creates a global e-waste trouble.

E-Waste's Impact on the Surround

E-waste landfill filled with old computers
Prototype by George Hotelling from Canton, MI, U.s.a. (E-waste recycling in Ann Arbor) [CC By-SA two.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The environmental hazards caused by improper disposal of e-waste tin exist briefly described as follows:

  1.  Air Pollution:Burning of wires release hydrocarbons in the atmosphere.
  2.  Water Pollution:Electronic devices contain toxic metals like mercury, atomic number 82 and lithium, which when tending of improperly, mixes with ponds, lakes and groundwater. Communities that directly depend on these sources of water then consume information technology unknowingly. These heavy metals are hazardous for all forms of living beings.
  3.  Soil Pollution: These heavy metals enter the food chain as they are absorbed past plants from the soil. These metals not only destroy the plants, but as well are then consumed by other living beings, leading to a poisonous food chain.

Now, let's get into some tips and ways that y'all can reduce e-waste product.

Means to Reduce E-Waste material and its Hazards

The post-obit are 10 means to curb these environmental hazards, reduce electronic waste material, and save our planet:

1. Sell sometime Electronics

One of the best and easiest methods of reducing the electronic waste footprint is to sell or donate your electronic gadgets to those in need.

If you are planning on selling, you should be able to easily detect a buyer every bit they volition have the opportunity to buy the same product at a much lower price than if information technology were new. You lot get easy money while the buyer gets a nice gadget; a win-win for both.

A good place to sell one-time electronics (without whatsoever fees) is Craigslist. You tin can sell unwanted devices by posting a local advert and coming together up with potential buyers.

Another website you tin use to sell former devices is Kijiji, which works similar to Craigslist. Kijiji is basically the Canadian version of Craigslist.

two. Donate sometime Electronics

Altruistic electronics to the needy is also a practice followed by many. It not simply gives the gadget a new life, merely also makes yous feel good about yourself.

If y'all determine to donate your onetime electronic devices when y'all don't demand them anymore, make sure to clear any information (similar data in your laptop difficult drive) before you donate it.

To learn more nearly donating gadgets safely and correctly, check out this EPA guide on donating and recycling electronics.

iii. Recycle and Dispose of E-Waste material Properly

Improperly disposed e-waste matter is condign more and more hazardous, especially every bit the sheer volume of our e-waste increases.

For this reason, large brands like Apple, Samsung, and other companies accept started giving options to its customers to recycle old electronics. Sometimes, you may even get financial compensation for recycling your one-time devices!

Recycling old electronics allows the expensive electronic parts inside to be reused. This tin save a lot of energy and reduce the need for mining of new raw resources, or manufacturing new parts.

You tin find electronic recycling programs in your local area by doing a Google search for "recycle electronics" and your city or expanse proper name.

iv. Maintain your Electronics

One of the best means to save your coin and reduce e-waste is to keep your electronics well-maintained, to increase its life. Hither are some tips to get you lot started.

Maintaining a Laptop or Computer:

  • Make sure your PC's difficult drive or SSD doesn't get completely full. This allows it to proceed running smoothly and chop-chop for a long fourth dimension.
  • Make clean your figurer often and then that it doesn't get muddy.
  • Whenever possible, endeavour not to overcharge your battery. This ways unplugging your chargerbefore your laptop hits 100%, which will improve your battery's overall lifespan.

Maintaining a Mobile Telephone:

  • Use a telephone example and screen protector and then that your telephone doesn't break when you drop information technology.
  • Similarly to laptops, continue your device make clean and don't e'er fully charge your bombardment if you don't need to (This improves overall battery lifespan).

By maintaining your electronics, y'all salvage coin on having to purchase new gadgets when your old ones break down. You're also keeping electronics out of landfills by increasing the total lifespan of your electronic devices.

five. Repurpose or Re-evaluate

E'er remember twice before upgrading or ownership a new electronic device:

  1. Do you lot actually need this new device?
  2. Is it a need, or more than of a want?
  3. Will it add value to your personal or professional person life in any way?

If you answered "no" to whatever of the to a higher place questions, and so it might be best to re-evaluate your thoughts, and avoid buying it.

To add on to this, you can repurpose one-time electronics that aren't useful anymore for their intended utilise.

For example: An former mobile telephone tin can piece of work as an mp3 actor or even as a GPS device. Don't throw it abroad, recall wisely!

6. Shop Data Online

Cloud services are much better than you would think in reducing your environmental affect.

By storing data online, you get to access your data from anywhere effectually the world, without the need to carry a storage device at all times. Cloud storage also gives y'all a large amount of storage, for costless or for very cheap.

This not merely offers convenience to you, but reduces the demand for manufacturing of new storage devices.

This indirectly reduces your carbon footprint and curbs the amount of generated e-waste.

7. Buy Energy Star Rated Electronics

Investing in environmental friendly electronics have interdependent benefits.

A loftier Energy Star rated device consumes less free energy, reducing your electricity bill significantly. In addition, because less energy is required, information technology keeps a check on resource (energy) depletion by avoiding over- utilization. Information technology indirectly saves the environment by reducing the load on resources' (free energy) extraction and depletion.

When purchasing, look for electronics and appliances with the Energy Star logo:

Energy Star logo

viii. Learn to Repair Broken Electronics at Home

Some brands of modernistic electronic devices are only meant to last for a few years under regular use before failing.

Even so, along with maintaining your electronic devices past cleaning them regularly to help them concluding for longer, y'all could also learn how to fix hardware problems on your device.

Online sites such every bit iFixit provide free, step-by-footstep guides for fixing common bug beyond hundreds of different device models, along with pictures of the device and of the required tools for each repair job.

Nowadays, at that place are as well many Youtube videos teaching you lot how to ready a broken laptop or do a phone screen replacement yourself. Many times, all it takes is a bit of fourth dimension and patience before your gadget is practiced equally new!

Past learning to repair your electronics at habitation, you will gain more than detailed noesis and understanding of the hardware of your device.

Yous'll also acquire useful repair skills, and avoid having to travel to a professional repair shop and pay expensive fees for other people to prepare your device.

Best of all, y'all volition be able to go along using your device for longer and won't have to throw it away.

9. Hire Electronic Equipment instead of Ownership

If you are planning to use a specific piece of electronic equipment for a limited period of time, information technology would be a better idea to rent it instead of ownership information technology.

For case, if you sparingly use industrial weighing scales for measuring, say, the weight of the electronic waste product, rent the scales instead of ownership them.

Renting equipment is both a toll-effective and environmentally friendly option, as you just have to pay for the elapsing yous rent rather than buying the equipment outright and then letting it rot abroad after i or 2 uses.

ten. Spread the Word!

Allow's say you lot've been faithful in your quest to reduce electronic waste matter. You're buying less unnecessary electronics and donating your outdated ones, amongst other things.

You're doing your part, and that'south nifty! Now, it's time to share your noesis with other folks who may be less aware almost the hazards of e-waste matter.

Adjacent time y'all run into a family member improperly disposing of an one-time computer or buying a new smartphone for no reason, take the fourth dimension and share your knowledge on the detrimental effect of their deportment.

Most importantly, requite those people a reason to deed on your advice. For example, if you know of a good identify nearby to donate onetime electronics, make sure to let them know!

One honest discussion about responsible ways to reduce east-waste has the potential to make a measurable deviation both in your community and on a global calibration.

Take Action

Now you've seen ten ways to reduce the ecology effects of due east-waste. It'southward your turn to start taking activeness.

We all need to accept a stand to prevent the destruction of the environment we live in.

Virtually the Author: Rebecca Pryor

Rebecca Pryor is director of A&A Skip Rent –i of North London's leading provider of domestic and commercial skips.

Other Contributors:

  • Tip viii (Repair Broken Electronics) was contributed by Cloe from CloeWrites.
  • Tip ix (Rent Electronic Equipment) was contributed past Kevin from Scalesu.com.
  • Tip 10 (Spread the Give-and-take) was contributed by John from AllGreenRecycling.com.

Edited By: Hugh

Last Updated 2019-02-12