The Truth About EWaste Around the World

Electronics have become part of our very existence, and EWaste is the result of the outdated versions being thrown away. Electronic waste is a global problem with the United States being the second largest culprit, throwing away over 10 million tons of electronics every year.  This includes televisions, cell phones, tablets, PCs, microwaves, refrigerators, and more. When people purchase a new and improved model, the old one typically ends up in the trash. 

When electronics are thrown away they typically end up in landfills with anywhere from 50 to 80 percent entering “recycling” programs in India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Pakistan, and China.  These programs typically have nothing to do with recycling.  Instead, the devices are stripped apart and burned in the backyard of businesses and homes.  This creates a problem with pollution and poor air quality which can negatively impact peoples’ health.  The emissions have even been linked to cardiovascular and pulmonary disease.  To prove this point, a study was conducted in Guiyu, China, the largest “recycling” site in the world.  It found that over 80 percent of the children living there suffered from respiratory illness and were at risk for lead poisoning.  If you factor adults into the study, it is also found that they had a high percentage of digestive and neurological disorders.  

Developed countries in the EU, United States, and throughout the world have been sending their EWaste to developing countries for disposal. This creates a variety of problems that include the transportation and wasted fuel in the transportation prior to the waste reaching the country that is likely to dispose of it in a non-environmentally friendly way that can negatively impact the population. 

The only way to be sure that your electronics are properly recycled is to work with a US based EWaste recycling company.  At Recycling Green Tree, we work with businesses and the local community to gather up electronics that are no longer being used and to repurpose them.  One of our top priorities is working with the public school system to ensure that children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to computers.  This is the modern world and being able to access and use a computer is essential for children being able to compete with their peers.  Unfortunately, many school systems simply don’t have the resources to acquire the computers necessary to supply classrooms or their libraries with what the students need.  This sets students in particular schools at a disadvantage.  We make a difference in their education by recycling old computers so that they can be usable again.  Keep in mind that a slow computer may not work for a busy adult, but for a child learning to type, it works just fine. 

This is only done with community partnerships.  EWaste recycling programs work when everyone participates first by donating the electronics they no longer use then by companies like Recycling Green Tree making sure they find a new home. To learn more about our programs call 1-800-405-6308.

Electronic Recycling and Why You Should Use it

If you have an old electronic device, electronic recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of it.  With millions of gadgets being purchased every year, people have a decision to make: throw it away, recycle it, or give it to someone else.  Unfortunately, too many consumers are simply tossing their devices into the trash can.  According to a study conducted in 2012 by UN organizations and Solving the E-Waste Problem Initiative, 48.9 million tons of electronics are thrown away every year.  That includes phones, televisions, computers, tablets, refrigerators, microwaves, etc.  There is so much electronic waste that it weighs more than 200 Empire State Buildings.

The numbers are projected to increase to over 60 tons by 2017.  The United States is the second largest contributor to electronic waste, second only to China.  We throw away over 10 million tons of electronics a year.  In fact, so many devices are thrown away that experts say many of these are gifts that were never even opened.

This is a massive problem that is bad for the environment and wastes any resources that are still contained within the device.  Many electronics can be taken apart with various components salvaged while others can be given away to someone in need.  People can also use electronic recycling for devices that are no longer functioning.  This keeps electronics out of landfills and in circulation in some form.  Consider a tree.  When it is cut down everything is used including the pulp.  Over time a piece of wood that becomes flooring can be cleaned up and repurposed by someone else.  The same tree, the same material, can be used by multiple people in multiple ways.  Electronics can function the same way.  While they may no longer be useful in their original capacity, part of the device can have a new life through a recycling program.

Some of the ways that electronic devices are being repurposed are:

• Businesses giving old computers to schools and non-profit organizations.  While they may not function with the speed necessary for today’s business climate, they may work splendidly for a third grader typing their first report.
• Old appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, washing machines, and dryers can be given to half way homes, shelters, and people in need.  The cost of fixing the item may be significantly less than purchasing it brand new, and there is a constant need for these devices.
• Cell phones can be recycled and donated to victims of domestic violence, a current Verizon initiative. 

It may be difficult to know which items are directly useful to other organizations and which ones need to be recycled by salvaging parts or components of the device.  Fortunately, Recycling Green Tree can handle it for you.  They are a local, California company that holds regular electronic recycling events and works directly with businesses with recycling needs.  They collect the device, find the best use for it, and ensure that it stays out of the landfill for years to come.  This is a simple way to help the environment and potentially someone in need.