[Editors note: This post was originally published in June 2010 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.]

One of the disturbing side-effects of having an abundance of material and consumer goods is that it all ends up in the waste stream and, for the most part, in landfills. That presents a problem for electronic waste.A recent Scientific American article reports that a staggering 70% of heavy metals that end up in landfills come from electronics that people throw out. From Scientific American:

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans trash two million tons of unwanted electronics each year—six times the amount they recycle. To make matters worse, U.S. companies often ship old equipment to poor nations whose landfills and incinerators are ill equipped, subjecting already struggling populations to lead, cadmium, beryllium, and other contaminants.”

The problem of e-waste, or electronic waste, is a huge one. We all know how it works: you buy a brand new computer, printer, phone or device and before you know it, the item is outdated. At the rate that technology is improving, we end up having to upgrade our purchases within a year or two of purchasing a device. And then you still have the 'old' one.

What do you do then?

Many people simply don’t know what to do with their e-waste, so they toss the items in the trash bin. These items then end up in our landfills, slowly seeping deadly chemicals into the nearby eco-systems.

It's almost always illegal to dispose of most electronics in the trash. And since e-waste contains toxic materials that are shown to be dangerous to human health, it's also a health hazard.

Unfortunately,  even though it's against the law doesn't prevent many people from simply dumping their old phones and tablets into the trash anyway. Whether it's out of ignorance of the law and the potential hazards, or simply because people think, "Who's going to know?'  the problem is a growing one.

The inconvenient fact is that, if these e-waste materials are not recovered and separated at some point along the waste stream, they will most likely end up in landfills and will eventually seep into nearby ground water sources.

Unwanted Large Electronics Are Still E-Waste

Some old electronic items in homes are too large to get rid of easily so they often end up sitting around in a garage or basement, taking up space and collecting dust. For example, those old-style CRT computer monitors and bulky processors and printers are often quite hefty and aren’t really easy to haul out of the house.

In addition, in order to recycle large e-waste items, they first have to be taken to the right recycling facilities where the parts can be properly handled and any toxic materials removed.

And many business office electronics are even larger!

Industrial printers and scanners, for example, can be quite huge and they are incredibly difficult to get rid of. Because of that they often end up in some back room within the office building. As far as running a business goes, this use of space is inefficient and ends up costing the business in an indirect way.

Ideally, this ‘back room’ e-waste storage area could be cleared out and re-utilized as an office or a boardroom where employee could be more productive.

Considering Your E-Waste Disposal Options

Whether you are a home owner or a business owner the same problem exists: efficiently getting rid of your e-waste, both with the purpose of clearing out unnecessary clutter as well as taking responsibility for our environment.

The solution to this e-waste removal problem is contacting seasoned junk removal professionals, like Junk-King. Junk-King can handle your e-waste problem by efficiently and affordably hauling out your unwanted electronics.

Not only that, Junk-King makes sure to take your e-waste where it belongs – to the proper recycling centers. With Junk-King, you’ll be sure that your old electronics don’t end up sitting in a landfill hurting our environment.

Professional E-Waste Recycling for Your Business

Going with Junk King provides your business with an efficient, safe and eco-friendly e-waste removal service. With Junk King, you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of those old items.

Not only that, but we make sure that your old electronics end up in the right place. Whether it's a charity if the electronics are still functioning, or a recycling facility to ensure your e-waste is disposed of in an eco-friendly way, you can rest assured they will find a proper home.

We remove almost all types of e-waste, including: