Top 3 Reasons You Should Recycle Electronics
Electronics are a major part of every modern life out there. Not only do they allow you to enjoy luxuries of comfort and entertainment, but for most people, electronics are a part of work and our personal lives.
Unfortunately, electronics don’t work forever. If you have some older electronics and you’re not sure how to dispose of them, it’s a great idea to consider recycling them!
These are the top three reasons you should recycle electronics.
1. Cuts Down on Water and Air Pollution
One of the main reasons everyone should be recycling their electronics is that it cuts down on pollution. Electronics are made with chemicals and heavy metals that could leech into the environment if they end up in a landfill. This could damage the soil, water, and air in the environment you live in, and many states even have laws against simply throwing away your electronics.
It’s for everyone’s health that we keep arsenic, mercury, and cadmium out of landfills, so recycling is a must.
2. Ensures Electronics Have More Than One Life
Sometimes when you’re done with an electronic, the electronic isn’t necessarily done working. In some forms of electronic recycling, these pieces are given a second life. This means that the laptop you loved and worked with for so long will have a chance to enjoy another life as a device for a student or as someone’s computer they use to build their start-up business.
Giving electronics a second life means there’s less need to produce new plastics, metals, and elements that could damage the environment further through their production.
3. Can Give You Some Financial Return
Some forms of electronic recycling can pay! Not only do you get the chance to get rid of old electronics, but you can also get paid to give them away. Some services will pay a set rate for specific goods, ranging from phones to laptops and even MP3 players. The main reason is they’re able to make a profit off of the elements used to make these items, while they’ll actively make sure to recycle any components they can’t use. This is a great option for anyone wanting some kickback.
What Electronics Can’t Be Recycled
There are a few electronics that can’t be recycled safely. This is usually because of the type of material they’re made out of and how safe it would be to include it with a lot of compressible items.
Some things to avoid recycling and instead sell, if possible, are LCD televisions and old TVs, which could include mercury, batteries that include lithium, and anything that has glass that’s already cracked or broken.
You should also remember to wipe old electronics and remove any personal information from them if you can. This doesn’t stop them from being recycled: but it does protect your identity in case someone attempts to use these devices.
Everyone Should Recycle Their Electronics
Recycling electronics is a simple task everyone should take on. Not only is it good for the environment and allows items to work for longer: but it could also pay!