Electrical appliances and gadgets are in widespread use and while they play an essential role in making our daily lives a lot easier, the question of how to dispose of them in an eco-friendly manner is still a dilemma for people all over the world.
Environmentalists and researchers unanimously agree that electronic recycling is the ideal solution to get rid of used electronics. This approach protects the environment from the detrimental effects of e-waste by safely handling the toxic substances present within old electrical devices.
Having said that, have you ever wondered, How recycling works to dispose of electronics? In this blog, we will ponder over this question, take a deep dive into the process of electronic recycling, and also discuss the scope of this type of recycling.
The Perception of Electronic Recycling
Understanding what electronic recycling is, is imperative to comprehend the question of how electronic recycling works. Electronic recycling is a process that involves handling old electronics by passing them through multiple stages, for example, collection, sorting, shredding, and separation with the end goal of extracting useful materials from them.
Besides this, environmental protection is also a notable aim of the process. This is achieved by diverting hazardous materials like mercury, cobalt, nickel, and cadmium from landfills to electronic recycling centers where they are taken care of in an eco-conscious manner.
For businesses, in addition to promoting environmental sustainability, electronic recycling is also a means to securely destroy confidential data that may be stored in their old IT equipment. Proper data erasure is crucial for businesses and organizations to safeguard them against data breaches and identity thefts, hence saving them from legal repercussions in the long run.
What Items Fall Under The Umbrella of Electronic Recycling
In addition to how recycling works, another important point to consider is, what items are deemed recyclable for electronic recycling. Following is a list of equipment and devices that are meticulously recycled at Ez on the earth.
- Light Bulbs
- Television
- Microwaves
- Batteries
- Hard Drives
- Printers
- Scanners
- Smart Phones
- Tablets
- Computers and laptops
- Ballasts
- Air conditioners
- Washing Machines
- Video Cameras
It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive. At Ez on the earth we have the expertise and capacity to recycle items other than those mentioned on the list with fully compliant recycling procedures.
How Does Electronic Recycling Work? A Step-by-Step Insight Into The Process
It's time to answer the million-dollar question. How does recycling work? The process of electronic recycling is composed of a series of processes. In this section of the blog, we will walk you through each of these processes in detail.
Collection
Electronic recycling is kicked off by the collection of old electronics. Piles of old electronics can be created in homes, offices, schools, and hospitals when used electronics are stacked away in store rooms instead of sending them off for recycling.
Ez on the earth provides conveniently located drop-off locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin where businesses can drop their old electronic equipment for recycling. Additionally, we provide pick-up services for business owners who cannot come to our drop-off locations. Using this service, businesses can conveniently schedule for our team to visit their business site and collect their old electronics.
Transfer The Electronics To Certified E-Waste Recycling Centers
After collection, the next step in how recycling works is to transfer the used electronics to a certified recycling facility. There are transport logistics involved in this step and it is essential to ascertain that the recycling company you are hiring implements safe transport of your e-waste to and from your business. This is important for several reasons. Firstly, because businesses have a lot of sensitive data present on their electronic assets it is crucial to protect it from falling into the wrong hands.
Secondly, electronic waste often contains used batteries which can be a source of fire accidents if transported carelessly.
Dismantling and Sorting
Once the electronics arrive at the recycling center, they are manually disassembled into their components. After the dismantling, they undergo sorting into different categories to make the subsequent electronic recycling processes easier.
Shredding
During this stage, the dismantled e-waste is passed through a shredder. This results in the electronics being broken down into tiny pieces.
Dust Removal
This step has great environmental benefits. After shredding, the small pieces of electronic devices are spread out on a conveyor belt and given a good shake to remove all dust particles that are stuck to the tiny pieces of shredded e-waste.
Separation
The separation process takes place in two parts, magnetic separation and water separation.
Magnetic
Magnetic separation encompasses the use of a magnet or an electromagnetic current, under the influence of which all the ferrous materials from the mixture of shredded e-waste are separated.
Water
The water separation process is used to further remove the materials that were not removed by the magnetic separation. These materials can include glass and plastics. By the end of water separation, the separation process is complete.
Recovery
The crux of the entire electronic recycling process is the recovery of useful materials. During this phase of the recycling procedure, the materials that are considered to have value for further usage like copper, silver, gold, and mercury are extracted and refined to be used in the manufacture of new products.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that electronic waste has emerged as a big challenge in the USA particularly for businesses. As the use of electronic equipment in offices and enterprises increases to be at par with their competitors the issue of responsible disposal of this waste stream has also become a pressing issue.
The optimum method to discard old electronics is through safe electronic recycling by partnering with a reliable e-waste recycling company. These companies take care of the process of e-waste recycling so that you don’t have to worry about how recycling works.
Recycle Old Electronics With Ez on the earth
The path towards sustainability goes through recycling and Ez on the earth has always been an advocate for adopting clean and green practices to conserve the environment and its resources.
At Ez on the earth we recycle a variety of electronic waste with scrupulously designed processes to manage the waste effectively and in a way that yields the maximum volume of useful materials.
Whether you have old printers, computers, or stacks of used old batteries, we cater to all sorts of e-waste at our recycling facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Begin your recycling journey today and contact our team to find out how we can help you.