![]() In many states, it’s illegal to dispose of these electronics in a regular garbage or recycling bin. Recycling your devices means getting rid of them in a safe manner that allows them to be reused. According to the EPA, for every million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered. Even if the device isn’t in running condition, there are plastic, metal, glass, palladium, copper, silver and even gold parts that can be recovered and reused. Luckily, nearly 100 percent of e-waste is recyclable. This could be a computer that is outdated and doesn’t run properly or a VCR that is no longer relevant or useful to the owner. What is E-Waste?Įlectronic waste, or e-waste, encompasses all electronics that are at the end of their useful life. By 2021 it’s predicted this number reaches 57.5 million tons. The United Nations University reported that in 2016, the yearly worldwide accumulation of e-waste had reached 49.3 million tons. These short lifespans cause a high amount of e-waste. ![]() The lifespan of electronics is predicted to be 11.8 years for a laptop, 6.5 years for a desktop computer, five years for a tablet and only two years for a smartphone. This is partially due to an increase in new technology, making older devices irrelevant, and also due to the natural wear and tear our devices experience. As a society, we have an immense turnover of electronic devices.
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