Lethal substances like lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury and brominated flame retardants are present in all electronic garbage. The likelihood of these hazardous compounds contaminating the land, poisoning the air and leaking into water bodies increases when gadgets and devices are disposed of improperly.

E-waste tends to leach when disposed of in a landfill because the water travels through it and picks up trace metals. When the hazardous levels of the contaminated landfill water reach natural groundwater, it can be dangerous if it gets into any bodies of drinking water.

Here we will see how to get rid of your old electrical items in an environmentally friendly way.

How to get rid of your old electrical items?

There are a few ways to reduce waste by yourself. Here the list of things you can do to minimize the electronic waste.

Sell It

You may have heard the proverb “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” before. Applying this adage to this situation can make it easier for you to get rid of your electronic waste. To convert them into gift cards, go to companies like Best Buy or Amazon.

Trade-In Program offered by Apple Inc. In exchange for eligible purchases, it provides individuals with large sums of money in the form of gift cards or in-store credit.

There are also trade-in programmes at several nearby stores. Before buying a new item, ask stores if they will purchase back your laptop or camera. Like Apple, Best Buy gives gift cards in exchange for used IT equipment through its trade-in programme.

Or even better, do a garage sale to generate some cash. For instance, a Nintendo video game may fetch up to £20 per unit.

Recycling

Sending electrical items to a waste recycling firm is the best and most appropriate way to get rid of electrical items.

For instance, you need to remain cautious when recycling your laptop, iPad, or mobile phone for recycling. You should delete your personal data first.

Donate

You can give old electrical items that you no longer require since they might be valuable to someone else. An NGO or students may find a use for your old PC. Before getting rid of your outdated items, you need to make sure whether the device is still working and you wiped all your personal data.

There are several organisations and companies that offer electronic contribution schemes from which to pick.

Upcycle

Even if your devices are no longer functional, they can still be upcycled into brand-new items for your house. Consider adding your laptop as a second monitor to your workspace if it no longer functions but the screen is still in good condition. 

Repair

Bring your broken electrical items to a repair company, and they will be able to determine whether the damage is irreversible or not. If it is repairable, they may do it at a minimal cost. So, you do not have to buy a new item to replace the old one.

Return it store

To lessen e-waste, return them to the retailer. It is a simple concept, but it can have a significant impact. Millions of tonnes of electrical and electronic equipment are thrown away every year and end up in landfills. A lot of waste items have simply been replaced by newer ones, yet it still functions well in many cases. You can prevent these devices from ending up in landfills by returning them to the store to lessen e-waste. Additionally, if you return an old device, many shops will give you a discount on your purchase. Therefore, return your old equipment to the store to help minimise e-waste rather than throwing them away.

FAQ

Will e-waste decompose?

Once electronic waste is dumped in a landfill, it will stay there for a very long time. In fact, glass components can take up to 2 million years and plastic components up to one million years, so it might as well take forever! You will still be producing electronic waste 40,000 generations from now.

Are there any alternatives to electronic waste disposal?

Of course! Electronics can be recycled, reused, and reduced rather than thrown away.

Conclusion

E-waste is not good for our environment as it imposes a lot of negative impacts. Try to minimize the use of this kind of electrical item. You can rely on the methods above to get rid of electrical items in an eco-friendly way or simply you can hire a junk removal company near your neighbourhood to take care of your old electrical items.

Contact Waste Removal London if you have any doubts regarding waste removal or if you need price quotes for electronic rubbish removal.