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E-Waste, or electronic waste, is the fastest growing type of waste that Americans are producing. While the staggering amount of e-waste that is being thrown in landfills has been growing at an alarming rate, the good news is that this growing problem can be easily fixed. To help lower the amount of e-waste in landfills, consumers need to recycle their old electronic items. Old computers, printers, cell phones, fax machines, etc. all can be recycled. There are many benefits to recycling e-waste, but here are just a few of the reason why you should recycle electronics.
The most significant benefit to recycling e-waste is that this is the most effective way to minimize the growing e-waste problem that is affecting the U.S. Approximately 128 million tons of old electronics are thrown out annually, and they all end up in landfills. The problem is that there is so much waste that there is not enough room to fit all of it. When you recycle e-waste, it conserves natural resources. Instead of mining for new raw materials, material from old electronics can be reused which means less strain on the environment. Recycling also supports the community. Many times computers can be refurbished, and they are donated to schools and nonprofit organizations for example.
Another benefit of recycling e-waste is that it creates local employment opportunities. If the demand for e-waste recycling centers grows, companies will be forced to hire more people to meet the demand. A final reason that you should recycle e-waste is that it protects the environment and public health. Many people are unaware that electronics harbor toxic and hazardous materials in them such as cadmium, lead, and mercury to name a few. When thrown away, these toxins leak into the ground where it can eventually reach water supplies as well as getting in the air. The next time you want to throw out an old electronic product, remember all the benefits that come from recycling instead.
