Today marks Global Recycling Day, which is recognized yearly to raise awareness and encourage action toward sustainable practices and reducing waste. Many are unaware of the impact recycling has on the environment and do not believe their actions matter. However, collective efforts significantly reduce the amount of waste the world generates. One type of waste that consumers do not typically view as dangerous is electronic waste, which is considered hazardous and makes up 70 percent of the earth’s toxic waste. ITAD providers partner with companies to responsibly dispose of their IT assets and provide value-added services that protect data and maximize the value of retired assets.
Electronic Waste as Hazardous Material
Mobile devices are the most commonly used form of electronics but can pose significant fire risks when not disposed of correctly. E-waste is considered hazardous because many of our electronics today contain lithium-ion batteries notorious for their explosive nature. When electronics overheat, the batteries will swell, often resulting in a thermal runaway that will spark a battery fire. LIBs can also spark others nearby, causing a domino effect, and burn for days. When e-waste is sent to landfills, there is a greater risk of battery fire due to the higher potential for battery damage in transport.
Additionally, electronics will leak toxic chemicals into the soil if landfills are not correctly lined, eventually polluting groundwater and the surrounding water supply. This can result in severe illnesses in surrounding residents who unknowingly ingest the contaminated water. Incinerating e-waste can also lead to air pollution.
How ITAD Services Help Reduce E-waste
Recycling is more than paper and plastic; IT asset disposition goes beyond recycling. ITAD providers like HOBI offer services designed to mitigate environmental liability and maximize value in retired IT equipment. Electronics recycling is the only environmentally sound method of IT asset disposition. ITAD enterprises prioritize environmental safety through every step of the disposition process by ensuring that e-waste is recycled instead of sent to landfills.
Device reuse is becoming more popular as the price of technology increases. Reusing electronics helps reduce the need for new devices to be manufactured, which helps reduce the amount of e-waste the world generates. ITAD providers offer repair and remarketing services to help expand the lifecycle of used devices and help mitigate e-waste altogether by keeping them out of the waste stream. Remarketing or donating used devices also provides a cost-effective alternative to purchasing brand-new devices for those looking to save money.
Data security is another service ITAD providers offer for retired IT assets during the disposition process. ITAD providers offer data security services, including data erasure, to ensure no data leaks occur during disposition.
As an R2v3, RIOS, and ISO 14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise with more than 30 years of industry experience, HOBI focuses on maximizing value for our clients and making the best choice for clients and the environment.