Many people today are vigilant about recycling metal cans and plastic jugs, but did you know that e-recycling is just as vital for preserving our environment? Things like laptops and cell phones are often thrown away instead of recycled, negatively impacting the environment.

Lexington Computer Recycling shares the environmental impacts of e-recycling and how you can help reduce e-waste when you utilize our services.

Why We Have So Much E-Waste

Recycling electronics is easier said than done. Items like paper and plastic have straightforward recycling processes, while electronics must be disassembled, sorted, and shredded to obtain salvageable materials. E-waste makes up about 70% of all toxic waste, but only 20-25% reaches recycling centers. Another factor in the amount of e-waste is rapidly advancing technology and a consumer culture always searching for the hottest new items.

The Risks of Not Recycling E-Waste

When electronics and other items containing heavy metals are sent to landfills, the toxins within them can leach into the soil and groundwater, which can cause health problems for people and wildlife. If e-waste goes to an incinerator, the release of harmful chemicals into the air can damage the atmosphere and lead to respiratory issues. Throwing away e-waste instead of recycling also puts a significant drain on natural resources, like electricity, precious metals, and fresh water. Some components, like the lithium-ion batteries we mentioned earlier, can also be a potential cause of fires!

Benefits of E-Recycling

Tech Recycling Options

There’s more than one way to reduce the amount of e-waste you create. You can donate used electronics and repair your current items instead of replacing them. Purchasing refurbished electronics also eases the strain of e-waste on the environment. Of course, you can bring your electronic waste to a dedicated recycling facility (like ours!), and we will responsibly dispose of these items.

Familiar Sources of Electronic Waste

Computers and cell phones shoulder most of the e-waste blame, but many other products contribute to the problem, including:

• Refrigerators, freezers, and other cooling equipment
• TVs and monitors
• Copy machines, fax machines, and printers
• Technical and medical equipment
  

Explore Tech Recycling Near Lexington, KY

The next time you’re tempted to throw your outdated computer or cell phone in the trash, contact us instead. Lexington Computer Recycling has served the area since 2016, offering electronic recycling, data destruction, office cleanouts, and handling professional specialty equipment, like medical and lab materials. Our service is unmatched, and we have the reviews to prove it!

Call us today at (859) 300-3599 for more information about e-recycling with Lexington Computer Recycling. We are happy to serve the entire United States, including the greater Lexington, KY, area locally at our physical location or drop-off satellites near Versailles, Nicholasville, Frankfort, Richmond, and Georgetown.