E-waste poses a substantial problem
Over the last decades, electronics and their consumption have risen greatly, and with this increase has come the rise of e-waste.
Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, refers to electronic equipment no longer used, according to Electronix Redux, a corporation that aids in the recycling of electronic waste, on its web page.
E-waste results when electronic equipment becomes broken, but it also occurs when items are no longer wanted or obsolete.
According to NBC News’s website, in an article published in 2015, entitled, “Electronic Waste, U.S. is World’s Biggest Producer by Far, Study Says,” one of the contributing factors to massive amounts of e-waste is a consumer culture where people try to stay updated with the most current technology, even if it requires disposing of functional technology.
E-waste poses a danger to Earth and its diversity.
According to the aforementioned NBC article, elements such as cadmium and lead exist in e-waste, and chemicals like these pose a threat to the ecosystem, especially with growing amounts of e-waste.
Although it is currently a problem, methods exist to deal with e-waste.
The “reduce, reuse and recycle” mantra applies to e-waste, according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery web page.
People can reduce e-waste through good maintenance of electronic items.
While electronic equipment remains functional, people ought to continue to use it or pass it to others.
And, when electronics can no longer be repaired, people need to recycle.
