Those of us who did not grow up with electronic devices attached to our hip at all times will have been witness to a society that has become increasingly dependent on e-devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, and more. Technology has been advancing at an exponential rate and many people in developed countries are replacing e-devices at a faster rate than ever before. This results in a growing amount of electronic waste in landfills, which has been causing considerable environmental damage and health problems for people around the world.
Those who are on the fence about whether or not to donate or recycle e-waste may be interested in the following facts:
- In the United States alone, an estimated 300-400 million e-devices are discarded and less than 20% of that number is recycled.
- Every month, around 50 million cell phones are replaced globally. Of these, only 10% are recycled.
- Recycling just 1 million cell phones would decrease greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing over 1,300 vehicles from the road for one year.
- Recycling a single television (an older version) will decrease 4-7 lbs of lead from leaching into the atmosphere, our groundwater, and our soil. Lead has been proven to cause damage to the kidneys, blood, and central and peripheral nervous systems.
- Electronic waste accounts for 70% of the overall toxic waste sent to landfills.
- Between 50-80% of electronic waste from the U.S. is sent to developing countries such as India, China, and Kenya. In many cases, children sift through these landfills and are constantly exposed to extremely toxic chemicals found in e-waste.
This information is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to facts about electronic waste and the damage it causes. Become part of the solution by recycling your unwanted electronic items with Recycle San Diego.
