RECYCLED TECH

WHY BUSINESSES MUST RECYCLE

According to the UK’s Environmental Audit Committee, a staggering 45 million tonnes of e-waste was produced globally in 2017. That’s equivalent to approximately 4,500 Eiffel Towers, or 1,000 Titanic’s worth of discarded electronics. And what is more, much of this waste is toxic and is being disposed of and recycled in the incorrect way.

But how does the UK stack up? The Electrical Waste Recycling Group reports that around 500,000 tonnes of electronic waste is being dumped in the UK every year. If no changes are made by businesses in their recycling strategies, this figure could double to 120 million tonnes by 2050.

Until now, the focus of the electronics industry has been the development, design and manufacture of products, with little thought given to what happens to a product at the end of its life. This major component has been left to CSR and policy makers – and more latterly consumers who are conscious of the issues with single-use plastics.

Admittedly, with an increasing amount of new tech on the market, much of which contains new materials, learning how to dispose of items is not always straightforward, with new processes and procedures being developed to support them.

Europe produces some of the most electronic waste, only matched by Korea and Japan. Even with a system of "extended producer responsibility" in place, which pushes back on manufacturers to ensure electronic waste doesn't damage the environment, uptake is low. Considering UK households alone, a 2016 survey found that 24 per cent of discarded gadgets were binned with other household rubbish.

So what can businesses do to ensure unwanted, old or broken tech is not damaging the environment when its discarded?

What’s inside?

The majority of electronics in the workplace, such as PC's, mobiles and printers, are made up of a range of heavy metals, industrial chemicals and other potentially hazardous components. For instance, a computer’s circuit board contains mercury, lead, and cadmium. Electronic devices may contain trace amounts of dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chromium, or radioactive isotopes. Not only are these chemicals and metals toxic to people, they can be cancer causing and if consumed, can result in significant health problems.


If these elements end up in a landfill, they can pollute the surrounding soil and groundwater. With the threat to public health so serious, many countries now strictly regulate what ends up in their landfills. For instance, in Europe, this type of waste is regulated by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive of the European Union.

It is critical that IT managers and the wider business has a robust e-recycling policy to reduce hazardous pollution. Materials like copper, aluminum, tin, silicon, plastic and even gold can be recycled and repurposed for new products, helping to keep dangerous chemicals and minerals out of landfills.

What can be recycled?

To start the recycling process, it’s important to know which items can be included:

  • Desktop computers
  • Laptops & tablets
  • Monitors & televisions
  • Internal and external hard drives
  • Printers
  • Mice, keyboards, remotes, cables, and other peripherals
  • DVD players, iPods, and other electronic media devices
  • Ink cartridges
  • Batteries, especially lithium ion batteries

Understandably, e-recycling cannot be carried out in the workplace, however there are companies who can manage this aspect for you. For instance, Technical Reality offer a comprehensive recycling service for a wide range of tech, plus cash back to be used for re-investing in new equipment for your business. Find out more here.

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