[Editors note: This post was originally published in December 2016 and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.]
Now that the holidays are coming to a close and the new year is around the corner, it's time to plan for cleaning. And for businesses that often means junk disposal and dealing with e-waste.
It may seem simple enough to throw out the old electronics in the dumpster out back. But disposing of electronic waste, or e-waste as it's called, can be a bit more problematic than that. And don't be surprised if your waste management provider refuses to take it. This is because there are a number of issues with e-waste disposal.
With the ever-growing number of laws and regulations, especially in states such as California, many items such as computer monitors, TVs, and even cell phones cannot be simply tossed in the trash. What's more, when you want to properly dispose of a computer monitor - especially any old CRT devices you still have around - the process takes time, effort and money.
And e-waste presents other issues, as well. Perhaps the biggest problem with e-waste is that it contains toxic materials that have been determined to be hazardous to the environment and to human health.
The following facts about e-waste reveal the scope of the problem:
But there is a practical and beneficial alternative and that is recycling. Unfortunately, we are still a long ways from being fully efficient with e-waste recycling. In fact, only 12.5% of e-waste is recycled, according to the EPA. But the potential is there for not only recycling this "junk", but for reclaiming valuable materials and resources within the e-waste materials.
Not only does the planet and the landfills benefit, but manufacturing can benefit, as well. Consider these figures from the EPA regarding reclaimed raw materials extracted from e-waste:
Here is our infographic that illustrates some of the main points regarding e-waste recycling and disposal:
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 be 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.
We remove almost all types of e-waste, including: