Problem-Solving with vITAD: Bridge the Digital Divide with Electronics Donations Programs
Earth Day is nearly here, which means discussing how we can help keep the planet clean and healthy. Recycling is easy to dismiss, especially when you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to sort waste, and many put it on the back burner in favor of convenience. Regular waste like paper, food and plastic may not be significant. However, toxic waste such as smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, and even small household appliances is dangerous to the environment and human health if not disposed of properly.
It’s easy to throw everything in the trash–where else would you put it?Think about solid waste and where it typically ends up. Now think about how your favorite gadgets are made with precious metals like copper, gold, silver, and aluminum. Those metals leak toxic chemicals in the sunlight, and most solid waste is sent to landfills. Imagine every piece of technology in a landfill leaking dangerous chemicals and where those chemicals might end up.
When left in landfills for too long, the chemicals in metals found in electronic waste soak into the soil and contaminate groundwater and the surrounding water supply. Long-term exposure to these chemicals can cause extreme health issues, including fatal illnesses. Electronic waste makes up 70 percent of the world’s toxic waste, and every year more devices are manufactured. More than half of the world’s population owns a smartphone, and most users do not know how to properly dispose of them, which leads to some being sent to landfills. Most landfills do not accept e-waste, which leaves larger quantities for those that do.
For this reason, it is critical to properly dispose of retired IT assets like desktops, phones, and laptops. IT asset disposition facilities like HOBI collect retired electronics and ensure they are disposed of properly via recycling. ITAD enterprises provide many benefits to the environment and the economy, including repair and refurbishment of devices that have not reached the end of their useful cycle, which provides used devices for purchase and decreases the demand for brand-new devices.
A common misconception is that our actions don’t matter in the long run, but through a combined effort, we can each do our part in protecting the environment. Here are some things you can do every day, in addition to recycling your electronics, to help keep the Earth sustainable:
- Buy recycled paper, and print on both sides to reduce the amount used.
- Make recycling bins available in your home, office, or school.
- Recycling empty ink and toner cartridges and purchasing remanufactured cartridges.
- Recycle old newspapers and magazines after you’re finished with them.
- Look for the recycled option when purchasing goods.
- If you use a plastic throw-away coffee cup, reuse it instead of throwing it out.
- Buy rechargeable batteries.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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