Recycling

More consumers need to get into the habit of taking their used electronics to an experienced recycling firm that can disassemble them, separating and categorizing the contents by material and cleaning them, then shredding them mechanically for further sorting with advanced separation technologies.An experienced recycling firm like Great Lakes Electronics Corporation will meet the highest standards for how they recycle our e-waste and ensure that nothing of value within any device gets wasted. By doing so, they’re also able to meet the high demand for recycling metals from used electronics, which are then used to make new products.

Education

The second most important solution is to educate people about how important recycling is for e-waste. It can begin with setting an example, making a commitment on your own to take any electronic device you have that’s no longer wanted or being used, and bring it to a recycling firm rather than throw it out with your regular trash or toss it in a desk drawer.But then it’s also important to be vocal about that with others: to note that out of concern for our environment, you adopted the practice of recycling each device.Writing about the environmental benefits of recycling e-waste on social media sites is also a good place to start spreading the word.

Keep Learning

Just as the technology that creates smartphones and other devices keeps changing, the same is true when it comes to e-waste. In the U.S., 25 states now have laws that aim to either prevent used electronics from being sent to landfills, or that promote recycling. The European Union has established new goals for increasing e-waste recycling rates. The United Nations has launched the Step-Initiative to introduce a comprehensive approach to handling E-Waste, while also preparing professionals to work in the field of E-Waste management.The bottom line is a lot of actions are now being taken to provide practical solutions to e-waste problems — solutions that address environmental and health concerns, while at the same time emphasizing other issues.