International e-Waste Day
To honour one of the most significant issues facing the age of information, the 13th of October marks the first International e-Waste Recycling Day. The initiative was founded by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum – an international association of e-waste collection schemes.
The aim of the day is to solve one of the greatest issues facing modern society by putting a spotlight on it. Once the issue of e-waste is one we all truly grasp, we can take the proper steps to ensure our electrical products meet a safe and responsible end.
What is e-waste?
Our love (and need) for technology means we’re constantly acquiring computers, phones, devices and more for our homes and workplaces. We’re constantly adding more and more gadgets to our kitchens, bedrooms, offices, and broader lives. But when those electrical goods reach the end of their useful life, it becomes a problem. Once we’re ready to dispose of an electrical item, it becomes e-waste.
Unsurprisingly, e-waste is now the fastest growing waste stream in Australia. Globally, we’re producing over 50 million tonnes of e-waste every year.
This is becoming a major issue, because we’re wasting some of our most precious and useful materials. Also, recycling our e-waste can help reduce our reliance on mining, and other detrimental impacts on the environment.
What can I do to help?
There’s a few easy steps you can take to help support this terrific initiative.
Spread the word
The aim of International e-Waste Day is to put this issue in the spotlight. By spreading the word, we can create awareness, and in turn, a positive change for our e-waste.
Limit your technological turnover
Our attitude to electronics has certainly changed over time. In years gone by a phone would have been kept until it didn’t work any longer and that seemed to be for a lifetime. Nowadays either electronics do not last as long as they used to, or we choose to upgrade to the latest and best more often. The results speak for themselves as e-waste grows exponentially. Unfortunately, a high percentage of e-waste is thrown into general waste and is not disposed of responsibly.
Ensure you’re disposing of e-waste responsibly
There’s more to e-waste recycling than just looking after the environment. After all, it’s highly likely that our phones, computers, hard drives and tablets are full of data we wouldn’t want to fall into the wrong hands. In addition to ensuring you dispose of your e-waste correctly and recycle it, it’s important you’re not risking your personal information, your business or that of your customers. Don’t just recycle e-waste but ensure you partner with an environmentally sustainable provider who can also ensure your data is destroyed effectively.
To help contribute to International e-Waste Day while ensuring your digital information can never be recovered, chat to the team at Shred-X today.