HOBI Weekly Blog Recap (5/22-26/23)
The idea of getting rid of old, outdated electronics is much easier than the task of getting rid of them itself. Most people end up throwing them away with other waste, however, electronics waste is vastly different and must be disposed of in a much safer manner. One of the most common places to dispose of electronics is in landfills. Others take them to incineration facilities. Today we discuss the best practices for recycling your old electronics, and why recycling is the safest, most environmentally friendly method of disposal.
Electronics are made with precious metals such as gold, silver, mercury, lead, platinum, and aluminum. These metals contain harmful chemicals that, when left sitting in landfills for too long, will soak into the soil and contaminate the surrounding water supply. Eventually the chemicals would pollute our drinking water, and may cause severe health problems when exposed for long periods of time. Some electronics are manufactured with Lithium Ion batteries that are known to cause fires when damaged. The longer any devices containing LIBs are left in landfills, the higher the risk of potential damage resulting in a fire.
Another method of disposal typically used as an alternative to landfills is incineration, the process of burning the waste. This may seem like the more efficient method, however, incineration releases toxic fumes into the air, which over time can affect those working closely within the area. Air pollution is just as dangerous as contaminated drinking water, and can eventually lead to other health problems as well. A study was conducted in 2019 on illegal e-waste burning which determined that the e-waste burning had significantly contributed to the high levels of air pollution at the three sites monitored. These findings were associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular morbidity amongst the residents of the third site, indicating that the health issue may have been the results of long term exposure to the air pollution from the illegal incineration.
If landfills and incineration are too dangerous, what option are we left with? IT asset disposition facilities such as HOBI International Inc. collect old, retired, and outdated electronics and ensure that they are properly disposed of in a safe, eco-friendly manner via recycling. ITAD enterprises prioritize the environment and work to reduce the pollution and contamination produced from e-waste. HOBI specifically focuses on maximizing economic return, and mitigating potential environmental liability. HOBI is R2, RIOS, and ISO-14001 certified, ensuring all equipment is processed under full legislative compliance.
For more information about our ITAD services call 877-814-2620, or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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