How Does E-Waste Affect the Environment?
Electronic waste – usually called “e-waste” – refers to any and all electric or electronic items needing to be disposed of. This can include – but certainly is not limited to – old cell phones, televisions, computer towers or inkjet printers. As technology has continued to advance, so has the amount of e-waste being produced […]
How to Recycle Electronic Waste
By Sophia Bennett May 26, 2015 The facts about e-waste are staggering. According to DoSomething.org: Up to 50 million tons of electronic or e-waste are thrown away every year. Electronic waste is the fastest growing category of waste in the United States. Only 12.5 percent of that waste actually gets recycled. Electronics are full of toxic materials such as lead, […]
Exploring California’s E-cycling Laws
By Veena Clay May 19, 2015 For the past decade, states across the country have enacted e-waste legislation in an effort to address the lack of such legislation at the federal level. Each state has its own approach to confronting growing e-waste streams and the issues they create, though. California has long been a pioneer […]
By Nick Marinoff May 14, 2015 Our recent wave of technology has paved the way for a number of things: ecommerce, e-books, e-waste… Wait a minute, what the heck is “e-waste?” Is it unused websites the Internet somehow manages to discard overtime? Is it electronic paperwork that somehow gets shelled out into the atmosphere when […]
From White Glove Service to Buyback Programs: The 7 Best Recycling Center Services
Recycling centers are only for recycling, right? Not always. The recycling centers of today offer a wide range of services to support communities and businesses wishing to properly dispose of e-waste. Part of the reason for this divestment is a growing demand from corporate and individual clients that want something more from their e-cycling experience […]
UN Report: Up to 90 Percent of E-Waste is Disposed of Illegally
By Robert Jennings May 13, 2015 A recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), between 60 and 90 percent of all e-waste is disposed of illegally. That means that of the 41.8 million tons of e-waste generated globally last year, anywhere from 25 to 37 million tons were just dumped. But how? There are strict controls in place for […]
How to Donate or Send Your Old Device for Reuse
By Veena Clay May 12, 2015 As a recent United Nations University (UNU) study shows, America still struggles with a growing electronic waste problem, leading the world in e-waste. It is easy to ponder a number of reasons for this, but it is even easier to present a number of practical methods for safely discarding […]
E-Waste Alchemy: Perfecting the Process of Recovering Gold from E-Waste
By Veena Clay May 7, 2015 Did you know that gold, actual gold, is contained in some, if not most, of your electronics? Retrieve enough of it and you may have a solid fortune on your hands. All around the world it seems that everyone, from industrial companies to uncertified trash recyclers, are vying to […]
What Effect Does E-waste Have on Groundwater?
By Veena Clay May 4, 2015 Groundwater is one of the most precious resources on Earth. Its yields supply water to nearly every community in the country, and without it, most of us would be driven to drastic measures to accommodate drought conditions. In fact, that very situation is happening in communities across the nation. As […]
Hazardous Antics: Illegal E-Waste Dumping Hits the Corporate World
By Veena Clay April 21, 2015 You’d think a company the size of AT&T would get it right when it comes to properly disposing its e-waste. Wrong. Last year, the telecom giant was sued for illegal e-waste dumping and ended up settling for $52 million. The case brings up the issue of illegal e-waste dumping, […]