What are the environmental impacts of improper IT recycling?
environmental impacts of improper IT recycling
When discarded electronics end up in landfills or non-dumping sites, toxic chemicals are released into the environment. This has a direct impact on the air, soil and water, which can damage ecosystems and cause health problems for current and future generations of people. This type of dumping also contributes to greenhouse gas effects that further worsen global climate change.
Depending on how the waste is disposed of, it recycling near me can contaminate nearby soil with heavy metals and flame retardants. This causes plants to fail and can affect the growth of any future crops planted in that same area. The soil is also vulnerable to leaching and can be carried into rivers, lakes, streams or groundwater sources. This can poison the water and kill fish and other wildlife that rely on aquatic life for food.
Burning or dumping e-waste releases harmful gases into the air, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, particulates and greenhouse gases. These gases can linger in the atmosphere, affecting climate and harming people’s health when they breathe contaminated air. For example, breathing polluted air can lead to respiratory disease or cardiovascular problems.
What are the environmental impacts of improper IT recycling?
The toxins and chemicals in discarded electronic products can contaminate water sources, causing ecosystems to fail and threatening human and animal survival. For example, a fish consuming contaminated algae may suffer from brain and liver damage, while animals foraging in contaminated soil could become sickened or die. Chemicals in the water can also clog water bodies and interfere with plant growth.
Many of the metals in discarded electronics are valuable and need to be recycled properly. In fact, recycling one million cell phones saves the energy equivalent to power 3,500 homes for a year. Unfortunately, these precious metals are often improperly disposed of in landfills or dumped illegally in developing countries.
Illegal dumping of e-waste in landfills and other locations also poses serious safety hazards for the people living around the site. People working in informal e-waste recycling operations can be injured or even killed by burns, explosions and falling debris. They can also be exposed to toxic fumes and vapors, which can be extremely harmful to the brain, kidneys, liver and nervous system.
Taking simple steps to recycle electronics can significantly help to reduce the amount of hazardous materials in our landfills and other sites. Keeping electronics and other devices in good working condition, donating them to charity organizations or using the services of professional IT recycling near me can reduce the amount of e-waste produced. Repairing and repurposing are also great options for reducing the amount of new electronics that are purchased. For instance, the Fixers Collective in Manhattan and Brooklyn holds meetups to allow users to bring broken electronics for improvisational fixing. They also offer educational workshops to teach residents how to fix their own broken devices.