Many people recycle items like sheets of paper, soda cans, and glass bottles but fail to recycle their worn or faulty electronic devices. Note that recycling electronics is just as vital as recycling paper, metal, and glass. Check out the following reasons why recycling end-of-life electronics is so important.

Retrieve the Raw Materials

Many electronic items consist of substantial amounts of raw materials, such as copper, silver, gold, and platinum. For instance, a smartphone can be comprised of 25 grams of aluminum, 15 grams of copper, 0.34 grams of silver, and 0.034 grams of gold. In 2016, it was reported that the e-waste collected globally contained 16,300 kilotons of iron, 2500 kilotons of aluminum, 2200 kilotons of copper, 1600 kilotons of silver, 500 kilotons of gold, and 200 kilotons of palladium. Taking these figures into consideration, it is crucial that people do their best to recycle their old or broken electronic devices.

Prevent Chemical Contamination

Throwing away electronic devices, as opposed to recycling them, can lead to chemical pollution. Many electronics consist of harmful substances, such as mercury, lead, chromium, beryllium, and cadmium; if they are dumped in a landfill, the toxic chemicals within them may seep into the soil and end up in various bodies of water. By recycling hazardous electronic waste, individuals can rest assured, knowing the chemicals it contains will not make contact with soil and damage the Earth.

Reduce Landfill Volume

Landfills throughout the world are running out of space because the global population is generating large amounts of waste. A fair amount of the waste found in many landfills is electronic scrap. Thus, people can help reduce the volume of waste within landfills by recycling their devices.

A large number of people on this planet recognize the importance of recycling. Hopefully, more will understand how crucial it is to recycle e-waste.