What Your E-Waste Becomes
With new iPhones, TVs, laptops, and gaming systems coming out every year, e-waste is being generated at an incredibly fast rate. The average life span of a cell phone in the United States is less than 2 years! In 2016, 44.7 million metric tons of e-waste were generated; that’s almost the equivalent of 4,500 Eiffel Towers. By 2021, the amount of e-waste generated globally is predicted to surpass 57 million tons.
A few more statistics and trends about old technology:
- According to Wirefly.org, the average cell phone user gets a new cell phone every 18 months.
- In the U.S., we toss more than 100 million cell phones in the trash every year.
- The EPA reports that over 112,000 computers are discarded every single day, in the U.S. alone. That’s 41.1 million desktops and laptop computers per year.
- 20 million TVs are trashed in the U.S. every year.
- Only 13% of electronic waste is disposed and recycled properly.
With those staggering facts in mind, it’s more important than ever to properly recycle old and unwanted electronics. Electronic scrap makes up 70% of the overall toxic waste in U.S. landfills. The copper, aluminum, plastic, and glass found in the devices can be reused in consumer products instead of going into a landfill.
For example, in 2017 Dell gathered more than 177 million pounds of used electronics from people in 83 participating countries and territories. Those old electronics were then turned into newer versions. This process is called closed-loop recycling, and if carried out effectively at a large scale, could go a long way in mitigating the global crisis.
Another industry that is starting to take off is homegrown algae biofuels. Old computer parts such as laptop controls and CPU towers will soon be used to make Bio-Grow devices. The devices will then be used to grow algae which will be taken to a biomass collection point. The algae would then be transported to a refiner, which would extract the lipids from the algae to create biodiesel, while its byproduct could be used for livestock feed, fertilizer, and even pharmaceuticals. To think the whole the process starts with recycled electronics!
Here’s what else your electronics can become when you recycle with ProTek:
- Necklaces & Earrings
- Shoes
- Brooches
- Billboards
- Artwork
- Furniture
- Refurbished laptops
- Refurbished cell phones
- License plate frames
- Car parts
- Storage containers
- Wiring
- New Appliances
- Bio-Grow
- Bioplastic
The possibilities are truly endless, and the environmental benefits of recycling electronics goes unsaid. To get started on properly disposing your electronics, contact us today and we’ll provide you with a free quote.