E-waste is out of control. Our decommissioned devices are the fastest growing waste stream on our one and only planet – with no end in sight.
As our reliance on tech continues to grow, so does our obligation to dispose of it sustainably.
Ahead we look at the scope of the problem and offer tangible solutions for a more environmentally responsible IT end-of-life cycle.
Our Mounting e-Waste Crisis
A mountain of trash is building up across the globe. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates the mountain of former phones and outdated devices is growing at a rate of 54 million metric tonnes per year – for now.
To put it in perspective: “That is equivalent to 7 kilograms for every person on Earth; a number predicted to double by 2050 if nothing is done,” explains UNEP.
Wealthier countries contribute a disproportionate amount to these digital dumpsites, leaving the planet’s poorest and most vulnerable exposed to their toxic elements. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that includes 18 million children as young as five and another 12.9 million women and expectant mothers who work in the informal waste sector.
Businesses who want to be part of the solution can try these sustainable end-of-life alternatives:
Donate
Many of us have grown accustomed to upgrading our devices not just when they become obsolete, but every time there’s a new model. Yet for half of orgs and schools worldwide who lack the technology to participate in our digital world, it’s an entirely different reality.
Why not skip the landfill and help close the digital divide instead. These ten international tech recycling charities are advancing underserved communities with refurbished devices:
– Sustainable Electronics Recycling International
– Computer Aid International
– Camara Education
– Human-I-T
– Comprenew
– IT Schools Africa
– Turing Trust
– InterConnection
– Compudopt
– RRRcomputer
Further, donating unwanted electronics isn’t just altruistic. There’s cost-savings to be realised, too. As Zegal points out, “Rather than trying to keep track of devices lying around, or worse, spending money on rent for storing the devices, donating them will lower fixed costs, leading to higher profit, and will give you the opportunity to use that space for other, more profitable purposes.”
Trade-In
All devices may have an expiration date, but that doesn’t mean they completely lose their value.
In fact, Australians are sitting on an estimated $5.6 billion in unwanted and no longer used technology items , according to new research from Telstra. Of the 60% of these adults who say they’ve never traded in a used item, lack of know-how, lack of time, and a lack of faith they’ll get a good return top the list of excuses.
However, given how easy some manufacturers make trade-ins (not to mention our environmental urgency), circularity should be the priority. And what’s not to love about making some money to offset the cost of a new device while getting your old one back in rotation?
Recycle
Though not all e-scrap can be given new life, that still doesn’t mean it’s a complete waste. At present, only 17% is recycled. “The rest is dumped, often to be sifted through in low-income countries by informal workers, including children, seeking to extract valuable materials at grave risk to their health,” says UNEP.
To minimise these and other environmental and health risks created by used and end-of-life electronics, organisations like Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) are stepping up. This multi-stakeholder collaborative nonprofit helps maximise social and economic value by working to “accelerate the development of greater capacity for responsible reuse and recycling.”
Businesses can look to their certified R2 reuse and recycling facilities as disposal options or adopt some of their end-of-life best practices to maximise the usefulness of their electronics – while minimising their impact on the planet.
In reality, no single solution will save us from our current ecological imperative. It takes everyone working in tandem to give our decommissioned devices new meaning and create a sustainable, collective shift.