Last year, humans produced nearly 50 million tons of e-waste. E-waste makes up 70% of the Earth’s toxic waste. A large portion of e-waste comes from small businesses haphazardly throwing out electronic equipment. Many companies are unaware that computers, printers, hard drives, and monitors can be recycled. In 2018, e-waste recyclers recovered thousands of pounds of copper, silver, and gold from smartphones alone. If every business recycled their e-waste, this number would be hundreds of thousands instead of just thousands. Imagine that!
E-Waste Recycling Tips
If you’re not recycling your e-waste, you’re doing it wrong. There are so many valuable parts in old computers, monitors, laptops, etc., that can go right back into building new machines.
Check out some of Infinity Datatel’s top e-waste recycling tips to help your business eliminate waste in our landfills.
Using the Cloud
Using the cloud to buy at least some of the software and storage space your business uses will help. Firstly, you’re going to lower the demand you put on your hard drive, making it last longer. Second, if you’re putting less stress on your machines, you’ll save money in the long run. It’s a proactive move, so less recycling is needed. Google Cloud has storage options that make it a reliable green choice.
Donate Your E-Waste
Donating old monitors, computers, and TVs not only helps the environment, but it can help someone less fortunate than yourself.
Infinity DataTel donates used equipment to charities all the time. We use one that picks up our gear, wipes our drives, fixes anything that’s broken, and gives it to families in need. They even give us a tax write-off! It’s a win-win for everyone! If you need recommendations, we’d be happy to help.
Use a Junk Removal Service That Recycles
Companies like Junk King promise to re-use, recycle, and donate at least 60% of your waste.
If your business is producing e-waste regularly, you can have junk removal companies pick it up. Many small business owners do not have the time to find local drop-off points. There are quite a few e-waste removal companies in downtown Phoenix. They’ll come by your office and pick everything up, free of charge.
Contact the Manufacturer
Maybe you’re feeling generous and want to give your equipment back to the manufacturer to recycle and resell? The chances of them accepting your old equipment are high. Send them an email or give them a call!
Donating Safety
Before donating, you must destroy your data, but you should make sure you have a backup installed on your new machine before you do that.
Before donating your used equipment, you should take the proper precautions. Always destroy the data on your hard drives. Allowing company secrets and data to fall into the wrong hands is never a good idea. You can hire a company that destroys your data, or you can call us. If you’re a DIY type person, you can even do it yourself. If you need tips or assistance destroying your info, send us a message.
Make Sure the E-Waste Recycler is Certified
If you are going to recycle your e-waste, you must make sure the recycling facility has the proper certifications. If you are unsure if a facility has the right credentials, please call us, and we will look into it for you.
You may want to prepare a list of questions if you are planning to outsource your recycling. Find out if the company you are considering has the right credentials such as R2, RIOS, and e-Stewards certifications. If the E-waste recycling company outsources the waste, ask for proof. Ask about their records and where they are shipping. If they can’t tell you, that is a red flag, and you may want to use another service.
Taking care of the planet is everyone’s responsibility. Throwing away e-waste is just irresponsible and selfish. By recycling e-waste, you decrease your business’s footprint. Your business will be responsible for saving precious metals and making sure dangerous chemicals and tons of plastic don’t go into landfills. For more information on how your business can reduce its e-waste, send us a message or give us a call at 480.493.5999!