Electronics Recycling: Why Should You Recycle Computers?

Why Should You Recycle Computers? Sales of new PCs and laptops have increased as a result of workers improving their work-from-home infrastructure. What about that old PC over there?

Despite the temptation to choose the simple approach and discard your old computer in the trash can, there are reasons why you should recycle it by taking it to a recycling facility.

Get the Desired Outcome

Your curbside recycling bin is not the proper place to recycle your computer or other electronic waste. 

Computers and computer monitors are often too large for municipal recycling programs to handle since they are heavy and made of various materials, including glass, metal, and plastic. 

If you want to recycle computers in Atlanta ethically, you must bring them to or arrange for them to be picked up from a place that handles the recycling of computers and electronic trash.

Reduce Electrical Waste Disposed of in Landfills

Lead, chromium, mercury, cadmium, and flame retardants are only a handful of the components used to manufacture computers. 

Reducing landfill space is always facilitated by recycling garbage. To stop some of these toxic components from seeping into the groundwater or soil, it is even more important in the case of computers to avoid landfilling.

Recuperate Priceless Items 

Computers are made using various priceless materials, including gold, copper, aluminum, silver, platinum, silicon, tin, iron, plastic, and palladium. All but a few of these materials can be recycled repeatedly without losing any of their original characteristics.

These materials are recovered and used for various purposes throughout the recycling process. If not recycled, they would wind up in a landfill. To quantify the financial impact of this recycling, Apple said in its 2016 environmental report that it recovered 2,204 pounds of gold from recycled iPhones, iPads, and Macs, valued at more than $40 million at the time.

Keep the Environment Safe by Recycling Computers

When computers are recycled, various materials, including metals, plastic, and glass, can be used again. There is less demand for newly mined virgin material because this recycled material is easily accessible. This protects these natural resources and reduces the need to harvest and produce new materials.

Use Less Energy

Less energy is used when there is less reliance on recently created or virgin resources. Recycling materials require much less energy than creating new materials from ores or feedstock. For instance, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling one million laptops will result in energy savings equivalent to more than 3,500 homes’ annual energy use.

What to Do before Electronics Recycling Atlanta

You should take a few steps before sending your computer to be recycled in addition to merely erasing the files. Electronics Recycling Atlanta

Any sensitive data should be backed up to save it and prevent identity theft. You should make use of an external hard disk for this. 

Alternatively, you might use a cloud service to regularly back up your data. After backing them up in the cloud, you may transfer your files to a new computer or access them from any place with an internet connection. 

Additionally, cloud storage is useful if your computer malfunctions and you need to restore your data or if you need to access your data on another device when you are away from home.

Deauthorize any programs that demand a login or license to function. Microsoft Office and Apple’s iTunes are two examples.

You should still utilize a data removal program to remove sensitive personal information like tax returns, even if your data is backed up. It’s also suggested that you delete your internet history.

Do a factory reset on your smartphone to erase all previously saved preferences.

Remove any connected devices, such as your speakers, keyboard, mouse, and other “peripherals,” from the device. You can probably recycle them using your new gadget if you can’t recycle them with your computer.

Remove the battery first if you’re shipping a laptop as part of a manufacturer’s mail-back program. Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in computers, although they require special delivery.

You can contact your local electronics merchants and recyclers, look online for potential locations in your region, or visit the EPA’s page on electronics donation and recycling to discover a location that will accept your computer.

Conclusion 

Once your old computer reaches its destination, the recycling center handling electronic waste will use cutting-edge techniques like mechanical shredding to separate the materials. Now that you know the best reasons to recycle your old computer, it’s time to visit a recycling center in Atlanta.

Electronics recycling and disposal are two services Atlanta Green Recycling offers to commercial and residential clients in the Atlanta area. Visit a recycling center in Atlanta today!