The Main Causes Of E-Waste

Technology has impacted our lives in so many different ways. Nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives have been forever altered by tech, and while this is mostly a good thing leading to wonderful advancements in communication, medicine and more, there is a major downside to this lifestyle. With a society that relies on technology, it causes a surge in the amount of e-waste that is generated. Because we so fully embrace tech in every aspect of our lives, technology is always advancing and moving forward, which means we are constantly exchanging and upgrading our devices, whether it be new smartphones, new computers, televisions or even new smart appliances in our kitchens.

It is easy to focus on these wonderful advancements and look at how much easier and lovely they can make our lives, but there is no ignoring the ugly side of it, which is the massive waste created by our consumption habits.

According to a 2016 study, we accumulate about 49.3 million tons of e-waste across the world per year. While this sounds bad, it only gets worse. This same study estimated that by this year, the amount of e-waste generated across the world per year would rise to nearly 57 million tons. With the average American trading in their smartphones nearly yearly, it may come as no surprise that we rank behind only China when it comes to individual country’s e-waste production. In fact, in 2016 alone, the U.S. generated about 7 million tons of e-waste, and that number is only going up the more we get advancements in technology, as well as newer gadgets and gizmos.

Better E-Waste Management

While our reliance on technology through our lives results in the creation of e-waste, it does not have to mean it results in improperly disposed of e-waste. To learn how to better recycle and deal with all of your e-waste, you can look to the professionals at ecycleflorida.com for tips.

This post was written by Steven Elia Co-Founder and Recycling Director at eCycle Florida. eCycle Florida is a R2 Certified electronics recycling company in the state of Florida. Our processes and procedures are dedicated to the proper destruction and recycling of your electronics. eCycle Florida is your go-to for Orlando electronics recycling.