Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Truth About EWaste Around the World

EWaste
Electronics have become part of our very existence, and EWaste is the result of the outdated versions being thrown away.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.