Saturday, July 19, 2025
booked.net Call us at 613-908-9448
Eco-conscious : Print an issue, plant a tree! 

No products in the cart.

  • About
    • Contributors
    • Disclaimers
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Giving back
    • Mission Statement
    • Past Issues
    • Where to Find
    • Call us at 613-935-3763
The Seeker - Positively Local, Suporting Local
You could have reached 119 visitors today
  • Home
  • News
  • The Soapbox
  • Columnists
  • Events
  • Advertise!
    • Online
    • In Print
  • Puzzles
  • Videos
Seeker
No Result
View All Result

Recycling E-Waste: Why Is It Important?

Luci Chang by Luci Chang
November 11, 2020
in This May Also Interest You
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

Most people have E-waste they need to dispose of. It may be in ‘that draw’ full of obsolete stuff. There may be old phones, tablets, laptops or computers. Alternatively a person may have an old printer, DVD player, microwave or heater. Some may be broken whilst others are simply outdated. 

There is a growing global voice that promotes the recycling of E-waste. Is this unnecessary or simply fanatical, or is there real value in doing so? Let’s find out right now. 

You might also like

Locks, Copies, and What People Overlook Until It’s Too Late

The textural revolution: How woven baskets and natural fiber accessories are redefining modern interior design

Understanding Toronto’s Short-Term Rental Regulations: A Comprehensive Guide from Park Place Properties

Because Help Is At Hand

When a company has E-waste on its premises, it may not be hard to safely dispose of it. The experts at CJDECycling.com say there are companies offering tailored pickup services. Such businesses are able to responsibly deal with bulk data destruction or the decommissioning of data centres.  

When both individuals and companies can dispose of their unwanted computers or electronic goods, there is no excuse for sending them to landfill. 

Landfill Creates Problems

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says that up to 60 million tonnes of E-waste are sent to landfill on an annual basis. Buried E-waste releases toxic chemicals into the ground. In turn this affects the air and surrounding wildlife.

There may be beryllium, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, mercury or lead present. The adverse elements emerge in the local groundwater and ultimately end up in freshwater.

This is a huge issue, as these e waste experts can explain how hazardous materials can contaminate the environment and cause harm to both human health and wildlife. Recycling E-waste is crucial to minimize these impacts on the environment.

In some cases, landfill is sent abroad to nations that use cheap labour. Such countries will have a more basic recycling process. The health of all those who are near such landfill will then be put at risk. 

Much Of It Is Recyclable

The term ‘E-waste’ is actually a misnomer, because much can be upcycled or recycled. These days, many products such as phones are designed to be used for a couple of years and then replaced with an upgrade. This means they may be outdated or obsolete, but they are still fully functional. Another example would be when people ditch their DVD players in order to obtain a better picture using a blu-ray player. 

E-waste may contain such valuable contents as copper, glass, silver, plastic, platinum or aluminium.   

Here are two ironies:

  1. Only 10% to 15% of gold is recovered from this waste.
  2. The precious metals in E-waste are 40 to 50 times better in quality  than the ore people are mining from underground. 

The More It’s Recycled, The Less Mining Has To Occur

When new ore is required to create a product, the mining process creates greenhouse gas emissions. They damage the planet as a result. It is for this reason that the EPA has a list of programmes that accept donations of unwanted electrical goods.  

The reality is that more and more electronic goods are being produced. This occurs when there are new technological developments. People who had mobile phones switch to having smartphones. House owners decide to live in smarthomes, where the heating and lighting is operated from a phone or separate device. 

In order for our grandchildren to have a great future on Earth, it is essential that E-waste is dealt with responsibly, alongside other planet-saving steps. It’s time for everyone to step up and take action, both individually and globally. 

Luci Chang

Luci Chang

Luci is a Journalism student and covers interesting topics from health to finances.

Next Post
SDG OPP detachment commander retiring following 33-year career

SDG OPP detachment commander retiring following 33-year career

Categories

  • Business & Finances (15)
  • Columns (636)
    • Archived (116)
      • Filter-Free Zone (10)
      • For What it's Worth (37)
      • Fostering Change (2)
      • Memo from the Mayor (2)
      • Men Writes (26)
      • Mortgage Tips (1)
      • Seeker Snippets (22)
      • Take Note (6)
      • Which Witch is Witch? (10)
    • Current (397)
      • Appreciating Contemporary Art (3)
      • Discover SD&G (36)
      • Fashionably Marlene (13)
      • From Sharyn's Pantry (7)
      • Gardening – Ask Anna (28)
      • Grant Spills the Gravy (10)
      • Jay's Tech & Cyber Insights (4)
      • Keeping it Reel (27)
      • Local Spins from Bud's Records (9)
      • Louise Mignault (58)
      • Mental Health Matters (11)
      • Out and About (51)
      • Outdoor Club (24)
      • Reality Bytes (8)
      • roadSIGNS (32)
      • Smart Move with Sondra (4)
      • The Resilient Life (5)
      • Transition Cornwall+ (16)
      • What I'm Reading (2)
      • Wondrous Life (34)
      • Yafa Arts & Craft (22)
    • Friends of the Cline House (2)
  • Douris Deliberations (6)
  • Events (1)
  • Health & Fitness (11)
  • Home & Garden (11)
  • Interviews (159)
    • 5 questions with… (106)
    • Business Profiles (2)
    • Locals in the Loupe (49)
  • Leisure & Lifestyle (736)
  • News (2,586)
    • Ontario (1)
  • Politics (24)
    • Federal Elections (10)
    • Provincial Elections (10)
  • Science & Technology (46)
  • Sports (4)
  • The Adventures of D.B Cooper (1)
  • The Soapbox (261)
    • Agree to Disagree (114)
  • This May Also Interest You (1,605)
  • Top 5 (1)
  • Travel (52)
  • You May Also Like (973)
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube TikTok
Don't miss anything!

Get notified of all our new news by ringing the bell at the bottom left corner!

Content Safety

HERO

theseeker.ca

Trustworthy

Approved by Sur.ly

2024
Disclaimers
Stock Photos partially provided by our partner Depositphotos
The Seeker Newspaper is located at 327 Second Street E., Cornwall, ON K6H 1Y8 -- All rights reserved
The Seeker does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within.Please note that the views and opinions expressed in news article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Seeker. The content provided is for informational purposes only and has been written from the authors’ perspective, aiming to engage and inform readers. The Seeker is committed to presenting a wide range of viewpoints and encourages readers to conduct their own research and exercise critical thinking when considering these opinions in the context of their own perspectives.
ISSN 2562-1750 (Print)

ISSN 2562-1769 (Online)
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • The Soapbox
  • Columnists
  • Events
  • Advertise!
    • Online
    • In Print
  • Puzzles
  • Videos

© 2023 Reducing our footprint!   For every issue we print, we plant a tree!

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.