Earth Day and ITAD: Recycle E-Waste Responsibly in 2024 

Today is Earth Day, the time of year to celebrate keeping the planet clean and healthy. One way to contribute to a safe environment is proper IT asset disposition. Electronics are used daily and typically replaced with newer models annually, but only a small portion of electronic waste is recycled. According to a new analysis, less than a quarter of the 62 billion kilograms of e-waste globally generated in 2022 was recycled, but consumers can help improve e-waste recycling numbers with responsible IT asset disposition. 

Think about the electronics you use daily and where they might end up if disposed of improperly. Electronic waste makes up 70 percent of the world’s toxic waste, and more devices are manufactured every year. More than half of the world’s population owns a smartphone, and most users do not know how to properly dispose of it, which leads to some being sent to landfills. Most landfills do not accept e-waste, which leaves larger quantities in those that do. 

Electronics are made with precious metals like nickel, lead, lithium, and mercury that contain toxic chemicals. When left sitting in landfills for too long, these chemicals soak into the groundwater, polluting the surrounding water supply and eventually contaminating drinking water. Burning electronics via incineration releases these chemicals into the atmosphere and pollutes the air. Long-term exposure to these chemicals, whether it’s ingesting them through the water or breathing them in, can cause serious health problems over time. These health issues often manifest in symptoms similar to common illnesses, prolonging proper treatment. Recycling your electronics prevents them from being sent to landfills and inevitably harming humans and the environment. 

For this reason, it is critical to properly dispose of retired IT assets like desktops, phones, and laptops. This is where IT asset disposition facilities like HOBI play a crucial role. They collect retired electronics and ensure they are disposed of properly via recycling. By working with ITAD enterprises, you are not just disposing of your electronics, but actively contributing to the environment and the economy. These enterprises provide many benefits, 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.