Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives. From supporting the organisation of our personal to-do lists to becoming an indispensable part of our modern workplaces, smart watches, iPhones, virtual assistants, and compact tablets (to name a few), help keep our lives on track.
However, every item of tech has a shelf life. Whether you’re swapping your iPhone for the latest upgrade or you’re replacing your workplace computers, disposing of old/unwanted electronics is one of the biggest contributors to pollution around the world.
What is E Waste?
E waste, often referred to as ‘end-of-life electronic waste’ describes discarded electronic devices. According to Okdo, “The UK is one of the largest producers of e-waste in the world, with 23.9kg of e-waste on average produced per head […] In just the first six months of 2021 alone the UK produced 148,134.09 tonnes of e-waste, the equivalent weight of 15 Eiffel Towers.”
E-waste is a significant contributor to environmental pollution. It can be toxic and is non-biodegradable, accumulating in the environment and polluting the air, soil, and water, as well as negatively impacting ecosystems and other living organisms. Learning how to dispose of e-waste responsibly is essential for reducing this problem and increasing sustainability efforts.
The Importance of Sustainability in Electronic Recycling
When it comes to prioritising sustainability in electronics, it’s important to be aware of the fact that merely recycling isn’t enough.
Factors to Consider
If you’re looking to increase your sustainability efforts around your electronic devices, you must consider the following factors:
How Products are Manufactured
In today’s modern world we don’t give enough thought to where our products come from. So, if you want to increase your tech sustainability efforts you must give thought to the manufacturing process of your devices. Consider: what type of materials are used, what the packaging is made from, whether the company offsets their carbon, etc).
Green Supply Chain Strategies
Are the companies you’re buying from doing everything they can to create more sustainable processes. For example, are they: improving energy efficiency, using recyclable packaging, opting for green transport options, investing in green energy sources, etc).
End-of-life Recyclability
Many companies are now building electronics that have an end-of-life recyclability guarantee. These can include offerings such as money back when you recycle your old products in store and free collections for your old and unwanted electronics. These initiatives are important to be aware of if you’re looking to increase your sustainability efforts as they ensure your old electronics can be disposed of correctly or reused by the company you purchased them from in the first place.
Professional E-waste Disposal
If you are buying electronics in bulk for your employees, for example, then it is important to consider hiring a professional e-waste disposal company who can recycle these items when they reach the end of their life span. At Priority WEEE, we recycle IT equipment on the behalf of businesses so that you can protect the environment as well as your data integrity. Rather than throwing your old computers away, our recycling service means tech can be reused where possible and disposed of correctly rather than ending up in landfills.
Final Words
Electronics recycling is important to get right. Disposing of electronics sustainably helps keep toxins out of our environment and gives old devices a second chance at life. It’s our priority and it should be yours too. With a little bit of planning and forethought you can put measures in place that ensure your electronics are purchased responsibly and recycled sustainably. The world will be a better place because of it.