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Going to a third party company that can recycle e-waste is one of the best ways that you can help not waste electronic resources. When you go to a recycling company, be sure to get a destruction certificate, especially if you are a large company, so you can keep track of which devices were recycled. If you’re wondering why you should be recycling e-waste in the first place, read on.
Did you know that in 2009, the U.S. EPA reported that only 8% of cell phones were recycled by weight, along with 38% of computers and 17% of televisions? This number has only increased. In fact, with the growth of technological improvement, consumers are buying new electronic devices faster than ever, which means old machines are being tossed aside, many of which end in landfills. One of the best reasons that you should be recycling is that when these devices end up in landfills, toxic and hazardous materials that are stored in devices end up leaking into the ground and can get into water supplies. When you send your electronics to a recycling company, it means that all working parts of computers and devices can be reused. When precious metals such as gold and various components can be reused, it saves time and energy during the manufacturing process and also lessens the demand for mining new metals.
Finally, when you throw away your old office or personal electronics, it leaves you highly susceptible to identity and information theft. This is because even when you delete all the files off of your computer or device, the information is still stored on the hard drive and someone can easily retrieve this information with the right tools. The best way to prevent this from happening is to send your e-waste to a recycling company where they can safely and securely, dispose and recycle of old electronics.
