All homes in this world have at least one electronic device and may be more. Some of them include computers, video games, mobile phones, printers, MP3 players and so on. When you buy a computer for the first time you use it as though it is the greatest gift in the world. When four or five years pass by you suddenly think of upgrading your system. The best option you seek out is replacing it with the latest model. Thus your old PC becomes a waste and you will try to get rid of it. This same experience goes on with all other electronic circuits.
We either throw our used goods to the basement or just dump it outside. Little do we think about the hazards that can be caused by such an action. Leave the hazardous effects, we do not think about how worth our trash is to people who do not have money to buy them. Of course, some parts may not be working. But if you could replace some parts and refurbish it, it would be of great help for people who cannot afford it.
When dumping an electronic device, the problems that occur are given below.
- By the dumping of wasted goods, the area needed to store them also increases. Thus, the particular land will not be good for any use.
- All electronic goods have valuable resources like plastic, glass and also metal. Instead of dumping them the resources can again be reused for other purposes.
- The toxic waste that these devices produce will be absorbed by the ground. This may contaminate the air and also ground water supplies and thus cause people to fall ill. Some common toxic wastes are mercury, lead, and many other chemicals.
There are many choices you can make in order to prevent the goods from being wasted. One of them is to reuse. The device may not be working properly. Try to fix it and then reuse it. If you do not wish to reuse it, try to sell it to someone at a reasonable price.
Recycling can also be a good choice. All the main parts of the device can be collected and can be used for making some other useful devices. Since you cannot do it by yourself, there are centres for donating your goods. For example, you can donate your old mobile phone to the store where you are buying the new one. You may get an exchange discount if the device is worth. If not you will have to do it for free. Either way you can get rid of your device for a good cause. There are also a number of charities who will be willing to take your electronic goods. All you have to do is search the web for charities and donate to them. There are many charities that take these cell phones, repair it for a very low cost and distribute it to women who are prone to domestic abuse. The cell phone will help them to call the police at time of emergency. There are also schools for children, who will gladly accept the old computer that we give to charity.
There are also web sites where you can message people about yourself having computers or other devices that are not working properly. There are people who are interested in buying the parts for other purposes.
Though the process of recycling requires some energy dissipation, it is better when compared to throwing them to a landfill. The best way to know about the perfect recycling method of a particular electronic device is to check their own website. They will have connections with other recycling organizations that will help you to do the needed the easiest way possible.
2 Comments
I too am poorer then the mouse funeral director,, oh well.
I also tear stuff up to get too the goodies nfor projects or ideas. Now however I have a 30’x40′ shop with so much electronic componets because of the (DIGITAL AGE,,,) humm.
well I can’t find room to sweep the floor and still end up at radio shack cause I have to spend so much time MINING for the part in the shop sometimes when I finally find it,,I forget what I wanted it for in the first place,LOL!!
CHEERS!
hey guy great article, love recycling. is there any way you could do a piece on component level recycling? I am poor as a church mouse and I tear apart junk from the trash to make things. I use bridge rectifiers out of old power supplies to make wind power and such. I understand you can use any transistor as a diode. please discuss this, if you can, thanks very much
of good cheer
doctormcgoveran