Tag: e-waste

The Ethical Issues Surrounding E-Waste Disposal

The world produces roughly 50 million tons of e-waste a year, and the number continues to grow. This waste generally falls into the toxic category, making its disposal more difficult than just tossing it into a landfill. However, a landfill somewhere is still where it often ends up. This creates significant ethical issues surrounding the disposal of e-waste.  How E-Waste Disposal Creates Ethical Issues  While shipping e-waste to poorer countries technically goes against the Basel Convention, which was signed by a number of countries, including the United States, the practice remains common. Countries will ship old or malfunctioning technology to poorer countries, often in West Africa or Southeast Asia.  Once the technology arrives there, it follows a few different paths, […]

The Significant Environmental Impact of E-Waste
the environmental impact of e-waste on landfills

Whether it be at home, the office, or out and about, electronics are everywhere. They’re vital for communication, work, and keeping life going. There’s little doubt that a modern world without electronics wouldn’t be modern at all. However, that’s come at a cost. Nearly all of the old technology we’ve discarded as e-waste is having a significant environmental impact, and we need to address it.  As technology expanded into every aspect of life, so too did the volume of the e-waste generated. In 2021, it was estimated that e-waste alone weighed 57 million tons worldwide. The environmental impact of this tremendous volume of e-waste is still being evaluated, but the early signs are worrying.  E-Waste’s Environmental Impact on Water and […]

What is Electronic Pollution and How Do We Reduce It?
electronic pollution taking up space in landfills

Electronic pollution is a newer concept, referring to the improper disposal of e-waste. Electronics are made with toxic chemicals and heavy metals, and when they’re not properly handled, they pose serious health risks and cause contamination of the soil, air, and groundwater. E-waste is a broad term that refers to electronic devices and electrical appliances that have reached the end of their useful life. Common types of e-waste are cell phones, computers, televisions, refrigerators, and printers. As the world creates more and more technology, we continue to produce more and more e-waste, reinforcing a vicious cycle that’s toxic for our environment and health. The Effects of Electronic Pollution It is estimated that only 17.4% of all e-waste is formally collected. […]

Rare Earth Recycling: The Present and Future
video of an open pit mine, typical of rare earth mining and the need for rare earth recycling

Rare earth minerals are some of the most widely used materials in technologies today. They are crucial for nearly every piece of technology, from computers, to cell phones, to cars. Their importance only continues to grow as well, with demand rising as technology expands into every facet of modern life. Sourcing these crucial minerals, however, provides challenges. Rare earth recycling will play a crucial role in the years to come to solve this problem.  Why Rare Earth Recycling Is Important  There are 17 elements that make up rare earth metals. While we’ve known about many of them for decades and centuries now, they only became important to the global economy with the rise of technology. Their importance comes from their […]

The E-Waste Recycling Process

Every year billions of new technology products are built and shipped out across the world. From laptops, to cell phones, to televisions, and more, it’s likely that you’ve purchased one yourself in the past year. Recycling the device it’s replacing is crucial, both for sustainability and environmental health. But what is the E-Waste Recycling Process?  The answer depends on the type of device, but, broadly speaking, the general process involves shredding the device and sorting its contents into component groups.  The E-Waste Recycling Process by Device Type  Cell Phones, Hard Drives, Computers, and Laptops  While this category is broad, the recycling process for these technologies tend to be the same. An e-recycler will pick up the devices from a drop […]