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In the age of technology that we are currently in, everything seems to revolve around computers and similar materials. Different manufacturers provide different items, and everyone wants the latest laptop computers, tablets, PCs, and Smartphones, and similar but new models are coming out so rapidly that the amount of electronic waste has soared in recent years. It turns out that roughly two percent of America’s waste landfills is e-waste, but of toxic waste, this number rises to around seventy percent.
It is not just in America that hazardous electronic waste has become a problem. If we accumulated all of the global e-waste together, it would amount to anywhere between twenty and fifty million metric tons each year. Only twelve and a half percent of e-waste is currently recycled, but the truth is that an overwhelming number of these items are not actually considered waste but instead pieces of equipment which could be wholly reused or recycled.
The problem with e-waste is that it can be hazardous and toxic to the environment. Many of these products contain dangerous items which can react with the environment and cause severe problems to the health and well-being of plant life, animals and humans.
It should be mandatory to provide more education about the dangers of e-waste when purchasing products. Customers should be made aware of these risks, and it could also be helpful for retailers to provide a service whereby they can take in and safely dispose of these products. This will drastically reduce the amount of e-waste which is being discarded and also reduce the risk of harmful effects on the environment. The fact remains that the more these products are released, the more waste there will be, and America’s landfill sites will start to become overflowing with dangerous electrical items unless we recycle e-waste!
