4 Key Benefits of Recycling Electronics

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The US produces 6.92 million tons of e-waste per year or 46lbs per person. That’s the equivalent of over 350 cruise ships.

Only 15% of it is properly recycled. That leaves millions of pounds of discarded phones, laptops, and other electronics with valuable but unused materials sitting unused.

The best way to combat this problem is to recycle electronics you no longer need. They can be used to create new products, helping the economy and the environment at the same time.

Keep reading to learn 4 key benefits of recycling electronics.

1. Cleaner Environment

40% of heavy metals in landfills come from electronics. Reducing the number of electronics dumped into landfills reduces this amount and lowers the need for them.

There are also plenty of other environmental benefits. They include:

  • Preventing toxins from leaking into the ground
  • Preventing air pollution
  • Lowering greenhouse gas emissions
  • Protects bodies of water
  • Promotes healthy agriculture
  • Prevents environmental diseases

The energy benefits from recycling electronics are also impressive. 1 million recycled laptops produce enough energy to power 3,500 homes for a year.

2. Economic Benefits

The market for e-waste management is already huge at $49,880 million. It has a major impact on the world’s economy that will grow if more electronics are recycled.

The raw materials in recycled electronics are worth an estimated $7.5 billion. Only 15% of gold, 15% of silver, and 5% of platinum are recovered. If that number went up to 100%, it would generate an extra $12 billion.

Recycling electronics also generates jobs. It’s a complex process that requires professionals to separate all the materials properly.

Recycling electronics also keeps their costs down. It reduces the time and money companies have to spend to make them, and they can send these savings on to consumers.

3. Reuse of Resources

Recycling electronics is a more effective and eco-friendly process than mining. Circuit boards have 40-80 times more gold and 30-40 times more copper than ore.

These aren’t the only materials that recycling recovers. It can also find:

  • Iron
  • Glass
  • Aluminum
  • Tin
  • Palladium
  • Silver

The reuse of these resources relates to all of the other benefits ore recycling. It helps reduce the environmental impact of making electronics and makes them more affordable.

4. Data Removal

Deleting data on electronics that you no longer want doesn’t always remove it completely. Hackers or criminals may still be able to find it, even if the device is sitting in a landfill.

The process of electronic recycling involves permanently removing any leftover data. This is an important step because it keeps your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

Enjoying the many electronic recycling benefits means finding the right professionals to start the process. Use this service to find out how to recycle your old electronics.

More Benefits of Recycling Electronics

The benefits of recycling electronics start with its effect on the environment. It reduces the amount of material in landfills, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy usage while protecting soil and bodies of water.

The process has other benefits as well. It finds reusable resources, improves the economy by bringing in money and creating jobs, and makes sure that all data from your electronics is deleted when you get rid of them.

Read the rest of our content for more eco-friendly tips on living a sustainable life.