You may be tempted to throw away electronics that no longer work, but they can hold value. Whether for the precious metals inside or the plastic and glass, they have a value that can be used to help save the environment. It’s a win-win solution for everyone involved. Read on to learn more about this eco-friendly option.
1. Recycle for Cash
Whether you’re an environmentalist or simply trying to save money, many things can be recycled for cash. Among these are electronics. Electronic scrap, or e-waste, is any discarded device with an electrical plug or battery. This includes cell phones, computers, and printers. Often, these devices contain precious metals that can be turned into cash. However, many of these items end up in landfills. This can harm the environment, as these materials may leach into the groundwater.
Fortunately, there are ways to keep this from happening. For example, you can recycle these items for cash by selling them to a recycling center or an e-waste service. This helps keep these devices from ending up in landfills, and it also helps to turn them back into useful products. The best place to start is by checking your local classified ads for sites that accept e-waste. You can also find businesses that specialize in e-waste online.
2. Create a New Product
A growing number of companies are interested in buying your old electronics. Some offer a fair price in exchange for your device, and some donate or refurbish those nonworking products to those in need. You can find these companies by searching online for “buyers of old cell phones,” for example, or similar terms.
Technological innovation is making devices obsolete faster than ever, exponentially expanding the global stockpile of e-waste. This e-waste can be toxic to the environment because it contains metals that leach into our soil and water supplies. Rather than discard your broken electronic device, look for an eco-friendly buyer specializing in these items.
They can turn them into something useful for you and the environment. They can recycle the plastic, copper, and silver in them for new electronics and may even use them to create batteries or other necessary components for your technology.
3. Help the Environment
Many cities and communities have organized electronic recycling days where citizens can drop off their old electronics for safe disposal. On a larger scale, 40 million tons of obsolete or broken electronics, also known as e-waste, are generated yearly.
Keeping e-waste out of landfills reduces pollution, conserves energy during manufacturing and mining for raw materials, and protects natural resources. For example, a ton of e-waste contains more gold than 17 tons of ores extracted from the earth’s crust. It can also make technology more affordable to people who may not otherwise be able to afford it.
This can help improve education, employment, and social inclusion. It can also benefit the environment by reducing carbon emissions, promoting recycling, supporting the circular economy, and ensuring all devices have a viable lifetime.
4. Help Your Local Economy
Whether you’re upgrading to the latest technology or just throwing away old electronics that aren’t working anymore, it is important to recycle them properly. The reason is that many of these devices contain valuable metals, such as gold and silver.
These precious metals can be recycled and sold for cash. In addition, the electronics themselves can be used to create new devices. This helps reduce the waste we create while providing jobs in our communities.
Besides selling your electronic scrap, you can also donate it to charity. This is a great option for older technology, such as computers and phones, that no longer works. Moreover, donating your electronics can help you get a tax deduction.
