Nowadays, many people around the globe carry electronic devices with them each day. Whether it be a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, we have constant digital access capabilities on a 24/7 basis. Electronic use has become more common in our daily lives and many individuals feel they need the latest technology with the release of new models and software. But when you purchase a new device, do you ever think about what happens to the old one?
Throwing away unneeded technology is something we do not typically think about, but e-waste has become a global concern that we must be mindful of. Approximately “53.6 million tonnes of waste is produced each year, and some countries out there are contributing to this a great deal more than others.” (Zia Muhammad, Digital Information World).
Over the past half-decade, the amount of electronic waste has increased by 21%. “The biggest contributor to global electronic waste is China which produced about 10.1 million tons of it over the past year.” (Zia Muhammad, Digital Information World). However, this number is a bit misleading, as China has the largest population on the planet.
North America plays a big role in contributing a large amount of the globe’s e-waste. In 2019, the U.S. alone produced 6.9 million tonnes of electronic waste. Steps need to be taken to decrease the amount of produced e-waste each year. Drawing awareness to e-waste concerns and shedding light on how much e-waste each country produces annually, is the first step in the right direction.
At Lifespan, minimizing carbon footprint is an essential component in all our ITAD processes. We provide smart, environmentally friendly disposal programs to support sustainability on many fronts. Our team strictly adheres to the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle philosophy, concerning carbon emissions avoidance to build a better planet and brighter future. The next time you are thinking of disposing of old technology, think of Lifespan and recycle the right way! Talk to us today.
See graphic below for The Countries Producing the Most E-Waste:
To learn more about global e-waste concerns, read this article by Digital Information World.
