What is E-Waste?
What is it? Do I have Electronic Waste? How do I get rid of it?
E-Waste is any electronic device that is unwanted. Cell phones, computers, laptops, tables, appliances, and more can all become e-waste. Some of this electronic waste can contain toxic materials such as lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium and many other materials that are harmful for people and the environment. Therefore products that contain these materials have to be disposed of correctly. When they are thrown into landfills, the dangerous chemicals inside leak out over time pollute water streams that run into lakes, making the water unfit for human consumption and wild life.
Many electronic products contain material that is useful and can be reused to conserve natural resources and energy. Electronics can be taken apart and harvested for parts that can be reused in other devices. This will reduce air pollution, water pollution and green house gas emissions. (ilga.gov)
Effective January 1, 2012, all of the covered electronic devices listed are banned from landfills: televisions, monitors, printers, computers, electronic keyboards, facsimile machines, videocassette recorders, portable digital music players, digital video disc players, video game consoles, small scale servers, scanners, electronic mice, digital converter boxes, cable receivers, satellite receivers, digital video disc recorders.
Homewood Disposal Service offers an e-waste pick up service to current residential customers across Illinois. When you’re ready, head over to our E-Waste Pick Up Service page to fill out an e-waste pick up request. Once complete, place your unwanted electronics curbside next to your trash can on your normal pick up day. We will send out an additional truck to safely and properly recycle your electronics. Remember, Illinois waste disposal companies are prohibited from disposing of your e-waste with other trash.
Electronic Recycling Tips for Homeowners
- Examine the Packaging – Before making a purchase, check if the item has to be disposed of or recycled in a special way.
- Create a Space for E-Waste – Have a specific place in your home where you can put your unwanted electronic devices.
- Find Your Local Hazardous Waste Facility – You can drop off your dangerous materials at these companies and they will dispose of them for you. Many companies, such as Best Buy, collect these items.
- Spread the Word– Tell your friends and family what cannot be thrown into the regular trash.
- Know Where it Goes– Make sure you know where you recycled e-waste is going. Avoiding sending your garbage overseas saves on greenhouse gas emissions. Also, this will help protect workers in developing countries.
- Donate or Sell– Extend the life of your electronics by donating or selling them to keep them out of the landfills.
Electronic Recycling and the Environment
In 2005, 2, 600,000 tons of electric products were put into use yet only 13% of those products were recycled.
Here’s what Illinois had to say about recycling electronics and the environment.
The Illinois recycling economic Information Study of 2001 estimates that the total economic impact of establishing statewide recycling and reuse programs for residential electronic products may result in the create of nearly 2,000 new jobs and $740 million in annual receipts. (ilga.gov)
Additional Residential Resources
