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In the United States, it has been estimated that since 2017 approximately 393,000,000 desktop PCs, 896,000,000 tablets, and 1,152,000,000 laptops have been sold.
That means, among other things, that we’re looking at potentially hundreds of millions of “old” PCs, tablets, and laptops being disposed of over the next five years. And that’s in addition the millions that are already being gotten rid of today.
Unfortunately, with all the electronics being disposed of – computers included – not nearly enough of them are being recycled.
While recent statistics are hard to come by, according to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA,
“…in 2009, US consumers and businesses discarded televisions, computers, cell phones and hard copy peripherals (including printers, scanners, faxes) totaling 2.37 million tons. Approximately 25 percent of these electronics were collected for recycling, with the remainder disposed of primarily in landfills, where the precious metals cannot be recovered.”
And one of the major benefits of electronic waste recycling is the extraction and recovery of valuable and rare metals. Another benefit is the reduction of the environmental threat posed by electronic waste in landfills.
Keeping Electronic Waste Disposal Eco-Friendly and Environmentally Safe
Although it is far easier to dispose of electronic waste, or e-waste as it is known, by sending it to landfills, this is certainly not an eco-friendly option. And, in fact, it is potential hazardous to our environment.
On the plus side, e-waste typically holds a wealth of reusable materials.
As one article notes,
“Electronic devices are made of a complex mix of materials that include gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, lithium, cobalt and other valuable elements. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says, “One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the United States.” These precious materials can be reclaimed through recycling.”
However, these same repositories of resources have a dark side. The same article goes on to point out,
“But electronic devices also comprise toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium, polluting PVC plastic, and hazardous chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants, which can harm human health and the environment.”
While electronic waste only makes up about three percent of America’s solid waste stream, all the lead, cadmium, chromium, and other toxic materials they contain make up about 70 percent of the total amount of hazardous material in landfills, according to the EPA.
Which is why reducing the overall volume of e-waste in our landfills will make those facilities that much eco-friendlier and safer.
Two Great Alternatives for Electronic Waste Disposal in the Washington DC Area
The good news is that tossing electronic waste into the trash and, consequently, into a landfill, is not our only options. Donating usable electronics or recycling unwanted e-waste are far better alternatives.
And the other good news is that Junk King Washington DC is ready to help you with your electronic waste recycling needs.
It’s estimated that the vast majority of used electronics that are destined for a dumpster can actually be donated, refurbished, or simply reused by those who need them. Despite the massive quantity of PCs, laptops, and tablets in our country, for example, there are still about 25 percent of Americans who do not own one.
That’s approximately 80 million folks who could benefit from a donated desktop PC, laptop, or tablet device. And, of course, there are the phones. Millions upon millions of used cellphones, many of them smart phones, are tossed out each year. Yet, these too, can often be donated.
In other words, we have multiple opportunities to donate electronics of all kinds to those in need.
The other eco-friendly e-waste disposal alternative that avoids putting it all in a landfill, is electronic waste recycling.
In addition to the metals contained in most electronics, the materials that devices are made of can often be recycled, as well. This can include glass, plastics, and circuitry. Electronic waste recycling decreases the amount of raw materials needed for manufacturing new products and provides jobs and revenue that add to the economy.
And there are a wide variety of devices that can make up our electronic recycling efforts.
Computer recycling is, perhaps, one of the most common, and presents both huge benefits for the environment and the electronic waste recycling industry, but also potential issues for donors.
Things to Consider When It Comes to Safe and Easy Electronic Device Disposal
Unfortunately, there are very real security risks when donating or recycling of certain devices. Primarily there is the risk of someone getting an old computer with personal info on it. Identity thieves could use the sensitive data stored on your device for assorted frauds, but you can make it hard for them.
There are steps you can take prior to donating or disposing of these e-waste devices to provide for a secure transition.
According to online security company Norton,
- Back it up. Be sure to back up your documents, photos, and other important information. Or transfer this data to your new device. This way you won’t lose it. To back up your data, you can make a copy in a physical location, such as on an external hard drive or thumb drive. Or you can make a copy that is stored in the “cloud,” or online, in a secure location.
- Erase it. Once you’ve backed up the data you want to save, make sure you’ve deleted everything on your old device. This includes your download folder, photos, and the search history on your internet browser. You should clear your browsing history, cookies and site data, and cached files and images. It’s a good idea not to leave anything behind that might give someone access to your personal information.
- Don’t forget about your apps. Delete all of your apps. This includes deleting app cache and data.
- Wipe your hard drive. Deleting things like files from your device doesn’t mean they’ve been completely erased. Remember to completely wipe your hard drive as well.
- Do a factory reset. Follow the device manufacturer’s instructions and do a factory reset, which should eliminate anything left on your device.
Affordable and Eco-Friendly Electronic Waste Recycling
In addition to getting eco-friendly and green e-waste removal service, you can know that you will be helping us preserve the environment. And you can be assured that you’ll be getting world-class junk removal service when you call Junk King Washington DC.
And even better than enjoying our renowned service is not having to do it yourself!
Our professional and experienced mattress removal team can also remove and haul off any other types of junk you have, as well (except household hazardous waste.) Fortunately, most waste electronics don’t fall under that category.
And, for those who might have a quite a large amount of electronic waste to collect – or are collecting it over a period of time – our affordable dumpster rental service can be a perfect way to have us take your e-waste.
Not only is Junk King Washington DC part of the nation’s largest and most respected junk removal firms, but we are also proud of the fact that our location is a locally owned and 100 percent veteran-owned business.
While our mission is to run a green and eco-friendly junk removal operation, we are also wholly committed to providing outstanding service to our friends and neighbors who live here in and around the Washington DC area.
What that means for you is that electronic waste recycling and removal couldn’t be any easier – or greener!
Our professional and insured junk removal team will come to your home, and we’ll call 15 to 30 minutes before we arrive. Once there, we’ll give you a free quote based on how much room your electronic waste and other junk will take up in our truck.
You simply point, and we’ll load your old electronic devices and other items into our big, red junk removal trucks and haul them away – and always without any hidden fees!
So, ready to get rid of your old electronic waste? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.
All you need to do is make an appointment with us by booking online above, or by calling us at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).
