Last year, experts estimated that people worldwide threw away an astounding 63.3 million tons of electronic waste. Unfortunately, most of this waste ends up in landfills, despite the hazardous, valuable, and reusable materials they contain. In 2019, just 17 percent of electronic waste was recycled. eSquared is working to change all that.
Recycling electronic devices is an important step in the mobile device lifecycle. Gently used devices can be refurbished and sold to organizations or people who need them. Obsolete or broken devices can be dismantled or shredded for parts and materials, which are then sold in secondary markets.
Here are five things you need to know about recycling electronic devices.
1. Recycling Electronic Devices Is Environmentally Friendly
Recycling electronic devices keeps hazardous materials out of landfills and puts valuable, reusable materials back into the supply chain. Many devices contain lead, mercury, and arsenic. Electronic waste accounts for approximately 70 percent of toxic waste worldwide. When devices languish in landfills, these substances leach into the soil and groundwater and can cause health issues for people who live and work in the area.
Electronics also contain valuable materials that can be reused in new electronic devices or other products. Copper, glass, plastic, steel, gold, and silver can be collected from old electronics and reused. Without recycling, these valuable materials sit in landfills. In 2018, 320 tons of gold and 7,200 tons of silver were left in landfills in discarded smartphones alone. Collectively, the materials in unused devices around the world are worth a whopping $57 billion annually.
2. Recycling with a Reputable Partner Is Secure
Some companies may be hesitant to recycle obsolete devices due to the intellectual property the devices contain. Reputable electronics recycling companies understand this hesitation and take steps to ensure the devices they receive are completely wiped clean in the recycling process.
For example, reputable recycling companies follow strict data destruction standards. These standards help put customer minds at ease, knowing that all data is destroyed through verified, certified processes. Many companies issue certificates of destruction or sanitation to customers that guarantee devices were wiped completely.
3. Recycling Electronic Devices Puts Money Back in Your Pocket
Recycling electronics isn’t just good for the environment, it can put money in your pocket that can be allocated for device upgrades. If you have gently used devices that are in good working order, many recycling companies will buy these devices from you so they can wipe, refurbish, and resell them.
eSquared’s recycling partner Tetchy Tech has a corporate buyback program that puts money back in companies’ pockets. Not only does this make you money, it saves you time. Tetchy Tech also gives back to the community, giving away 5 percent of the value of all consumer trade-ins every year.
4. Recycling Helps You Manage Dated or Broken Devices
By far the largest hurdle to recycling electronic waste is lack of knowledge. Many people and companies simply don’t know what to do with all their dated or broken devices. Most devices end up in a closet or warehouse gathering dust. This is literally leaving money on the table for many companies.
Partnering with a reputable recycling company can help you manage your dated or broken devices and reclaim valuable office or warehouse space. Working with a company like eSquared can help you make money off of your broken or dated devices and procure your new devices.
5. Recycling Electronic Devices Is Free with eSquared
Recycling your electronic devices is free with eSquared, and can even make you money if you recycle usable devices. We are your go-to source for getting rid of electronic waste and finding your next smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. Get in touch with us today to discover how we can help you safely and securely recycle dated and broken devices and put more money in your pocket.
