Proper garbage disposal has always been more tricky than it looks. There are certain guidelines and rules that you need to follow to dispose of your trash in the right way. To be able to dispose of garbage consciously, you can’t just stuff in your waste in a biodegradable container and hope that whoever picks it up will sort it out for you. The rise in electronic waste has been slowly revered for the past couple of years. On average, Australian homes have 22 electronic appliances. What will you do to those you don’t use anymore? You’ll probably dump them. On the off chance, who knows, your old mobile phones might have contributed to the toxicity of your local landfill. This can cause serious concerns in the long run. These are some of the problems regarding electronic waste disposal:
- Less education on e-waste disposal
Many of us are guilty of simply throwing out our gadgets, especially the very old ones that look like they’re never going to be of use again. Old phones, wires, or even computer parts can sometimes be seen straight out of a garbage bin when they shouldn’t be. With as simple as reading up on how to segregate your electronics and applying them when you sort out your electronic trash, you can already help with disposal issues at hand. Learn more, and educate yourself.
- Some thrown electronics are not really waste
Only small parts of your devices are true electronic waste. For instance, only less than 10% of computers are recycled in Australia, when in fact, computers are great electronics that can be recycled. For your gadgets, only some of the parts components need to be gone. The rest can be candidates for recycling, reselling or reuse; Unfortunately, most just put them straight in the dumpster.
- Illegal methods of getting rid of e-waste
All kinds of waste carry out a potential to harm the environment, especially when you don’t deal with them properly. There is ALWAYS a proper way of disposing of your old devices, but this also means you will probably end up paying some bucks to get rid of your old gadgets. Many people just leave their electronic garbage to be picked up where it’s left off, or dump their electronic trash where it shouldn’t be. You can’t JUST throw your e-waste anywhere.
- Harmful electronic components of your electronic waste
Your gadgets contain some components that are harmful. Since all you can see are the exteriors of your devices, you can’t see what they are really made of. Most of your appliances are made with metals and compounds that are harmful especially when you leave them exposed i.e. compounds that turn flammable when left to heat exposure for too long. While some parts are prone to cause injury i.e. sharp components that cause cuts.
- Air pollution
One of the ways to get rid of waste is to burn it off. Buring you e-waste is an easy way to get rid of it. However, if you choose to burn off your old appliances or computer sets, you pollute the air around i.e. heavy metal release during air emission. Components of these devices that are left to burn will also make the air you breathe very harmful. Toxic chemical fumes are released in the air when you burn your e-waste.
- Water pollution
Chemicals found in your electronics can contaminate water sources when you don’t dispose of it properly. The water you drink might be poisoned if e-waste is not properly discarded in your nearby landfills i.e. tin and lead contamination of your local water sources that came from landfills. Contaminated water affects, not only people but also wildlife dependent on these water sources.
- Land pollution
Electronic waste that is disposed of improperly can also accumulate chemicals in the soil i.e. copper, lead, and cadmium accumulations. This can harm your crops and make your food harmful to eat. The greens you eat might have absorbed dangerous chemicals already.
- Health and physical effects
Exposure to e-waste means more vulnerability to health. Health risks such as organ damage to heart, liver, kidney, and etc.. people who are also more exposed to electronic waste can be vulnerable to brain damage and degradation. Dismantling of possible electronic waste can also sustain an injury to an individual. If you’re dismantling your T.V. sets for disposal, practice extra precaution to avoid possible wounds.
- Expensive disposal methods
Proper disposal of an electronic waste really puts an unwarranted cost to many people. Not everybody can afford to pay some bucks every time they dispose of their old gadgets and devices. Selling off your old gadgets might take a while. Certified and approved recycling facilities cost a lot. Everybody still has a long way to go in terms of providing sustainable methods for waste management. If you can afford to go to a recycling facility, do so.
- Newer technologies can mean more hazard
Innovations in technology mean that there are plenty of other ways to create and produce things. For example, the latest cellphone you just bought might have an upgraded processor. This means the components of the processor also changed a bit from before i.e. new parts, new raw materials, etc.. These new parts can contain newer components that can pose a different effect during disposal. It’s smart to buy new gadgets but you should invest in appliances that you can see yourself using for a long time to avoid garbage disposal in the near future. Australia is among the top users of electronics and thus contribute largely to e-waste and the problems it can pose. Many still can’t get to the habit of reusing, reducing and recycling. Others are still on the constant lookout for better ways of handling waste without posing to much damage to the environment. All we can do is practise in our simple way proper approaches to lessen detrimental effects.
Conclusion
Here at Paul’s Rubbish Removal, we offer quality rubbish removal for you. We make sure that your electronic waste doesn’t cause any problems for you, your homes, or the environment. Do you have tons of appliances you want gone? Give us a call at 0407 125 125 or send an email at info@paulsrubbish.com.au.
