Environment Support

Modern Recycling in a High-tech Society

As technology progresses and most modern electronic appliances are being replaced by newer and better models, recycling and proper disposal has become a top priority for most companies since certain materials found in electronics, including battery liquids and processors, are non-biodegradable and potentially damaging to human health and the environment.

Major chemicals and elements found in electronic products which are harmful to the environment and to individuals are:

a. Lead - Primarily the most used element in all electronic devices. Poisoning due to inhalation of burned lead could cause neurological problems.

b. Mercury - Used in some electronic display devices. Exposure to it could cause damage to the central nervous system.

c. Cadmium - Element used in the production of semiconductors, chips, and some plastic variants. Inhaling of cadmium fumes may cause respiratory damage.

Moreover, electronic waste has become a worldwide catastrophic issue, with at least 3.2 billion tons of electronic waste being scrapped every year. In the last 8 years or so, the average lifespan of a computer dropped from 6 years to just 2 years. Thus, environmental groups are promulgating recycling techniques for the most widely-used electronics:

1. Laptop Donations - Certain organizations collect unwanted and outmoded laptops from companies and donate it to religious, charity, or academic institutions. Benefits of this type of recycling are two-fold: Firstly, the majority of the recipients are deserving and will experience the benefit of enhanced IT infrastructure; secondly, since the appliances are not going to landfills, environmental pollution is reduced.

2. Cellphone Recycling - Mobile phone manufacturers and distributors offer discounts and bonuses to those who bring in their old cellular phones for recycling purposes. Cellular phone manufacturers like Nokia and other organizations also offer cellphone recycling services.

3. Television Recycling - Companies often recycle television sets for their valuable materials including lead and glass. Mercury inside cathode ray tubes is then collected to be recycled for other appliances.

More and more manufacturers are becoming aware of their responsibility to recycle and dispose of their products. They are now including recycling projects into their corporate policies for environmental protection.

Electronic companies are also implementing projects to raise consumer awareness and participation in take-back and recycling. Some have also committed to the increased use of high-recycling-value materials and reduction if not removal of hazardous materials in their products.

We as consumers also play a major role here. Apart from demanding environmental responsibility from electronics manufacturers, we should actively participate in their recycling and take-back efforts.

Electronic Recycling Resources