College students have returned to classes, and the start of a new semester is an excellent time to get rid of any old electronics lying around. Environmental awareness is growing, but many still believe their actions will not make a difference. However, even responsibly disposing of old electronics like smartphones, laptops, or tablets helps reduce e-waste. Proper e-waste disposal begins with proper IT asset management, which students can accomplish simply by ensuring their old electronics are disposed of properly. Many are deterred by the lack of knowledge on where to take excess devices. Popular retailers like Best Buy and Walmart and service providers like AT&T often offer drop-off programs and partner with ITAD providers for proper e-waste disposition.
Leaving Electronics Lying Around can be Dangerous
Making the switch to a new device is exciting. Old devices often become an afterthought, discarded in drawers or boxes, and forgotten; however, this could lead to device damage and potential fires. Electronics are sensitive and can overheat just by being stored in a place with no ventilation or from sitting in a drawer and collecting dust until ports are blocked, preventing airflow. Electronics contain lithium-ion batteries that are known to cause fires when damaged, and a primary cause of battery damage is overheating. Heat causes the battery to swell, and anything that pictures that battery will cause a thermal runaway and potentially start a chemical fire.
Many consumers throw electronics, including batteries, away with municipal waste for convenience, but municipal waste is typically taken to landfills. If battery-containing devices end up in landfills, toxic chemicals will leak from the metals and cause water pollution from soaking into the soil.
Another potential issue is data theft. A simple reset is not enough to clear all data, and significant amounts of data remain on devices until they are properly wiped. Leaving electronics lying around could result in data theft, especially on a college campus.
Consumer E-Waste Disposal Solutions
Many consumers are unsure what to do with personal electronics that are no longer working or wanted, but many popular retailers accept old electronics for recycling. Best Buy, Staples, Walmart, Office Depot, and Target are just a few examples of retailers to check with that typically accept used electronics.
- Best Buy: Accepts TVs, cables, battery backups, and more for free.
- Staples: Accepts a wide range of electronics, including adapters, chargers, and batteries.
- Walmart: Accepts cell phones, tablets, video game consoles, and more.
- Office Depot: Accepts small electronics like cell phones, MP3 players, and rechargeable batteries.
- Target: Accepts mobile phones, small electronic devices, and ink cartridges.
ITAD Providers Ensure Proper E-waste Disposition
Companies like these partner with IT asset disposition (ITAD) providers like HOBI for proper e-waste disposition via recycling to mitigate environmental liability. ITAD providers offer a range of end-of-use services designed to protect the environment, reduce e-waste, and maximize the value of retired IT assets. HOBI is an R2v3, WBE, RIOS, and ISO 14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. HOBI also provides value-added services that benefit clients as the industry expands.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.