果冻传媒

What is E-waste?

E-waste refers to any kind of discarded electronic device such as: laptops, phones, home appliances and much more. Whether you are throwing away a device because it is no longer working, or because you got the newer, more efficient version, all discarded items are regarded as E-waste. Unlike other types of waste, these have harmful substances (lead, mercury, cadmium), which can cause serious threats to the environment and health. This makes it very important for the safe and proper disposal of the items. And how should we do this?

How to recycle E-waste?

E-waste cannot be thrown away in common bins, and, unfortunately, their recycling comes with a little bit more complications compared to other types of waste. While plastic, paper and glass usually have containers in various places in cities, E-waste requires you to go to drop-off centers set up specifically for this purpose. Additionally, some electronics manufacturers offer take-back programs, so it is always useful to check for this too. Functional devices can always be donated to schools and non-profit organizations in need. But why go through all this hassle?

Why is recycling E-waste important?

As mentioned earlier, harmful substances in the items pose environmental threats, as toxic materials can contaminate soil, water and air. Electronic devices often use rare Earth elements, which should be conserved as much as possible. Due to the disposal complications, E-waste is a major contribution to landfill waste, which is an increasing issue. Finally, some obvious benefits of all kinds of recycling are the energy savings as well as the economic benefits.

Can you think of a place in your house where you keep old electronic devices? Bring them to our Green Room in Atlas in the week of October 14^th to October 18^th and we will take care of their correct disposal!