Today is International E-Waste Day.
In 2022, the focus of International E-waste Day will be on small items of e-waste, under the slogan ‘Recycle it all, no matter how small’.
International E-Waste Day has been developed by the WEEE Forum, an international association of e-waste collection schemes, and its members. It is used to highlight to consumers the importance of repairing or correctly disposing of their used electronic equipment. It aims to increase re-use, recovery, and recycling rates.
In Australia we generate more than 539,000 tonnes of E-Waste and only less than 10% of it gets recycled.
As technology advances, so do the types of electronic devices and gadgets that people use. With every new release, there is an influx of outdated and obsolete equipment that gets left behind which is e-waste. E-waste is a global issue, and proper disposal is essential to mitigate its effects.
For general practices, businesses, and individuals alike, disposing of e-waste in a safe and secure manner is crucial. There are many dangers associated with mishandling e-waste. It is important that everyone does their part to ensure that it’s dealt with properly.
International E-Waste Day: What is E-Waste?
E-Waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their “useful life”. This includes, but is not limited to:
- computers, laptops, and tablets
- Desktops and CPU’s
- mobile phones
- Servers and hard drives
- printers and photocopiers
- fax machines
- USB, UPS’s and more……
As technology rapidly changes and improves, we’re constantly getting rid of outdated electronic equipment. This has resulted in e-waste accumulating at such a rapid rate. It has become the fastest growing form of waste in Australia. The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that Australia generated 539,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2018-19 alone. Global e-waste volumes are expected to reach 74 million tonnes per year by 2030.
Why is E-Waste a problem?
Australians use a lot of new technology and when this technology becomes obsolete, it often gets thrown away as e-waste. E-waste is one of the fastest growing types of waste and it now makes up 5% of all municipal solid waste worldwide. This is nearly the same amount as all plastic packaging, but e-waste is more hazardous.
E-Waste has a negative impact on our environment and is putting pressure on limited landfill capacity in Australia and around the world.
Many electronic devices contain toxic and harmful materials that have not been disposed of efficiently or safely. Correctly disposing of e-waste can help minimize pollution, protect our environment, and reduce our carbon footprint.
Ways to reduce E-Waste
Here are some ways to reduce e-waste:
- Repair broken electronics – It can be tempting to get an entirely new replacement for a broken electronics, but it’s important to remember that this creates e-waste. A more sustainable way to reduce your electronic waste is to repair your broken devices.
- Recycle your IT Equipment – When the IT equipment reaches end of IT lifecycle, you need to recycle them rather than throwing them away. You can hire a professional and certified recycling company to recycle your old IT Equipment.
- Sell your equipment you no longer need – Businesses tend to purchase IT Equipment at a fast rate and our waste disposal approach hasn’t yet evolved to handle that increased load. We at Greenbox offer complete and secure IT Lifecycle Management including IT equipment buyback program for your old it equipment. Get the best financial return for your old IT Equipment and make informed decisions while saving the environment.
- Repurpose your old equipment– Often companies get rid of the old equipment straight away once they reach the end of lifecycle. Rather hire a professional and certified ITAD provider like B2BT to dispose your IT Equipment or for a IT Equipment buyback quote to ensure there is no landfill and your devices are repurposed into other device with different functionality.
Here at Greenbox Group, we care about the environment and sustainability is our core value. Greenbox Group is Australia’s first ITAD to go 100% carbon neutral. Greenbox offers complete and secure IT Asset lifecycle management with secure data destruction and managed services. With more than 20 ISO certifications for safety, quality, security and environment, we take necessary measures to reduce e-waste by reducing carbon emissions from the electronic devices ensuring 0 landfill 0 carbon footprint.