Electronic Waste Over the Years

Many of us wouldn’t think twice when it comes to disposing of our unwanted electronics and our first action would be to just throw them in the garbage which inevitably ends up in landfills. We generally do not think about how that could affect our environment or how it might not be the best way to take care of the sensitive and personal information that may still be present on those devices.

As of 2018, Canada’s population was approximately 37 million. Could you imagine if every household reused their devices or donated them to individuals in need, what the % of e-waste disposed in landfills would decrease to? How healthier our environment would be if we didn’t continuous destroy the earth with toxic chemicals that seep from each device into our soil and oceans. How many humans and animals we would save a year from poisoning?

In 2016, 25 million Tonnes of waste was recycled in Canada. E-waste is one of the biggest offenders in the waste disposal process. About 40% of the heavy metals in landfills, including lead, mercury and cadmium, comes from electronic devices. These chemicals or materials can cause harm to workers and communities at any stage of the product lifecycle.

The next question you need to ask yourself is what can you do to help? It is simple! ERA has prevented thousands of tonnes of electronic devices from ending up in landfills and instead, have re-purposed them back within the community. These devices gain a second lease of life and go to an individual who is badly in need of a laptop or a computer to improve their way of living and create a life for themselves.

Did you know?

Reusing one computer with a CRT monitor will save you the following:

• 30 lbs of hazardous waste
• 77 lbs of solid waste
• 147 lbs (17.5 gallons) of water from being polluted
• 32 tons of air from being polluted
• 1,333 lbs of CO2 from being emitted
• 7,719 kilowatts of energy (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

In 2018, ERA alone recycled 6,694 tonnes of non-reusable electronics from landfills and donated reusable devices to over 200 organizations in need Canada wide. They collected e-waste from 9,542 locations in Canada alone.

Resources: http://www.electronicstakeback.com/resources/problem-overview/