Dispose of trash has always been a challenge for most businesses. Businesses are using more technology and replacing them immediately as consumer demand continues to grow. That creates a big challenge for businesses since they need a way of disposing of and managing waste on their premises.
The good news is that this is not as daunting a task as you think. In this blog post, you’ll learn what E-waste is and how to dispose of e-waste material.
What is E-Waste?
E-waste is the short form of electronic waste or electronic devices approaching the end of their life cycle. The devices include old computers, mobile phones, printers, tablets, photocopiers, TVs, office vacuum cleaners, etc. The challenge with electronic devices is they are becoming obsolete with changes happening in the technology world.
So, the need to upgrade to new tech will always be there as businesses try to gain a competitive advantage. According to the UN reports, 50 million e-wastes are created yearly, and only 20% is recycled. The remaining 80% is dumped into the earth. When these e-wastes are dumped into a landfill, they pause negative impacts such as:
● Making the water table toxic: E-waste contains heavy metals such as lead, barium, and lithium, which leak into the soil and groundwater, making the water table toxic.
● Illness from contaminated soil: Soil contaminated with heavy metals, food, and crops from the soil is contaminated, leading to illness.
● Contaminated air: Burning of e-wastes material leads to air pollution, affecting our health and air quality.
Therefore, to mitigate all these risks and live in a safe world, businesses need to be careful and considerate when disposing of their waste. The best way to dispose of trash is by following the steps in the next section.
Steps to Disposing Corporate E-waste
1. Use Cloud Services
With more companies embracing cloud services, there’s no need to invest in physical hardware such as servers, circuit boards, routers, and data centers. All these are unnecessary expenses,
given that you will need more of this hardware as you scale the business. With cloud services, you only need to rent services and pay monthly.
Embracing cloud services can reduce the number of electronic devices your company uses. A report from RightScale states that cloud providers found that 90% of companies use cloud technology to run their businesses. For instance, cloud storage allows businesses to reduce the number of physical hardware and circuit boards. So, the first step in managing waste is embracing cloud services.
2. Search for a Certified Recycler
If the electronic equipment is old or damaged, search for a certified recycler. Otherwise, avoid recyclers who dump waste in third-world countries. When doing the research, ensure the company is certified by the National Recycling Organization (NRO) and complies with state and federal laws. The recycler will organize the transportation of e-waste.
3. Look for Recycling Programs
Most manufacturers will have recycling programs. Before you throw away the electronic device, find out if the manufacturer has a recycling program. For instance, manufacturers like Toshiba provide discounts if you return Toshiba products that you no longer need. The discount can then be applied to the company’s future purchases.
4. Donate Electronic Equipment
If your devices are still in good shape and you plan to replace them with updated models, the donation is one way to keep them out of landfills. Institutions like Computers with Cause and TechSoup will repair the old devices and give them to non-profit or educational institutions that help the needy.
Before making any donation, ensure you have removed all the sensitive information that can put your company at risk. If you need help with this, look for an IT professional to assist you.
Conclusion
The tips we have shared above will help you dispose of electronic device waste effectively. Now is the right time to recycle your e-waste, protect the environment, and save your business finances. While it may look challenging to dispose of large quantities of e-wastes, remember some companies can help you.
