Recycling has become more than just a business philosophy, it is an absolute way of life for companies that wish to survive and even thrive in the competitive global market of today. This is as more customers will consider the “Green” factor when choosing which business to buy from. The benefits of recycling are more far-reaching than ever and companies are having to quickly learn that the more environmentally friendly they are, the better it is for their overall business.

“We live in a disposable society. It’s easier to throw things out than to fix them. We even gave it a name – we call it recycling.”
– Neil LaBute

What is E-waste and why is it important to dispose of it correctly:

E-waste and e-scrap is also known as EOL electronic devices. This all includes such items as stereo’s, televisions, dated computer equipment and mobile phones. These things can be refurbished or recycled, but a significant amount still finds its way to the landfills.

We are living in a “throwaway” society with E-waste becoming the fastest-growth waste stream in the world. Most electronic devices contain toxic materials that can be harmful when improperly disposed of. With recycling materials from E-waste, it limits the need to mine and helps preserve natural resources.

Why is there a upsurge in E-waste:

Technology is integrated into our everyday lives more and more as time passes. Technology is upgrading continuously with gadgets that make it smarter and faster, but the life span of these devices is getting much shorter and once the batteries die, they are thrown away to be replaced by new ones.

How to recycle E-waste in an environmentally friendly manner:

Please remember not to dispose E-waste in the bin, and this applies to batteries as well.

If the device is still working do not recycle it in your standard bin. Look for places that will put your legacy electronics to good use, this will maximise its lifecycle.

If the device is no longer working – take it to a responsible recycler near you. This is because lots of E-waste is shipped to landfills in developing countries.

Find out who will be accepting your E-waste and check if the manufacturers to see if they might take back their used items.

If you happen to be a business that wants to recycle their E-waste, create a policy for the recycling of your E-waste. You’ll want to include a secure-erase process in the policy to protect private and confidential information. Where it is possible consume less and if upgrading has to be done, explore your options.

Economical Benefits of Recycling:

Many companies do not realize the many economic benefits of recycling they can enjoy.

As a common rule the recycling of waste from the market can either have a positive or a neutral cost impart. The thing about recycling, the production process will use less energy while keeping more resources available for further use.

Recycling projects can be a job generator, this puts the local people to work. With the employment rates rising, businesses within the community benefit from the stronger economy as well.