As technology continues to advance, and become more intertwined with our everyday lives, e-waste continues to become more and more of an issue. According to Moore’s Law, the number of transistors on microchips doubles every two years. With that level of progress, it makes sense that IT and tech companies would want to trade out their old equipment for newer most efficient machines and devices every couple of years. More efficient machines mean better security and higher revenues across the board. Well, what happens to all the old equipment that is being left back in the sometimes and sometimes not so metaphorical dust. Well, it is estimated that 57 million tons of e-waste will be thrown out in 2021.
Now, e-waste is not inherently bad, things change, and progress is progress. We wouldn’t be where we are today if we kept bashing 2 rocks together to create fire. The problem lies in the way the way all of our e-waste is recycled in this country. For starters, there are a ton of rare earth metals in our current and old tech that are often hazardous to wildlife and ecosystems alike. We are clearly doing more damage to our world than we need to be when it comes to e-waste.
Recycling in American can also be expensive. Some companies are hesitant to pony up and pay the price when it come to responsible e-waste disposal. Shortcuts are taken and large portion of e-waste in the US is exported to other countries where the recycling process is far less regulated. For example, there are literal tons of e-waste being dumped and burned in fields in Ghana. The pollution alone in these areas has caused certain cancer rates to skyrocket in the people working these fields. The ecosystem has also taken a huge hit by the horribly irresponsible “recycling” methods being used there.
If we have any chance of making a real change with e-waste recycling, we NEED to solve the problems that go along with it. Luckily, I have had the privilege of working for a company that is constantly working to do this. At Renew Logic, we make it easy for companies to dispose of their old tech free of charge. In most cases, you may even get some money back for recycling responsibly. We have the highest certification in the world for data destruction and use the best environmentally conscious recycling methods available. We started as a Austin’s friendly neighborhood recycling company and have continued to grow every year.
If your company is struggling to find a responsible solution for the proper disposal of your outdated technology, please reach out to us on our website or message me directly. All our contact information is below. To make a change, you need to be the change. Start recycling responsibly today and make some money doing it!
