Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away Your Old Electronics

Every electronic eventually comes to the end of its life. Whether it is a games console, a tablet or a mobile phone, there comes the point where it is no longer useful to its owner. Electrical waste, alternatively known as e-waste, has been a problem for many years, but as the popularity of technology grows, so does the issue. We have explored previously why recycling old phones is good for the planet, but how much actually gets recycled? In addition, what can you do with other items of tech you may no longer want? We delve into this and more.

The global generation of e-waste is an average of 50 million tonnes per year. If you were to think back to all the mobile phones, laptops, computers, and personal technology you have gone through over the years, it could be a significant amount. Now, consider that on a global scale, with a population of 7.97 billion, even if every person only disposes of four of each over their lifetime, it would be around 95 billion devices heading to landfill.

This is without considering how often people upgrade and other technology such as TVs. Then there is the corporate world, which regularly installs new devices and technology annually. So, the scale of this issue is incomprehensible!

The damage electrical waste has on the environment

Of all this electrical waste, it is reported that only 13% is recycled on average, which leaves 43.5 billion tonnes being left to decay across the world. Although these devices are safe to use in their day-to-day condition, once they have been dumped and left to break down naturally, they expel toxins into the soil. This process can cause devastating effects on the ecosystems for many generations, and the chemicals impact the earth’s air, soil, water and, in turn, the health of the world’s population.

Many electronic devices will use lithium batteries, which severely contaminate the environment. In addition, due to the structure of these devices, they are easily flammable, which can cause landfill fires, releasing toxic fumes into the air. As the issue grows, so does the impact, leading to clean water and soil to plant foodstuffs in, becoming problematic.

How is the world of tech addressing this?

As the world looks for solutions to reduce the effect of climate change, we are seeing more consumers making conscious decisions regarding purchases and disposing of old technology. Even manufacturers are addressing the issue with recycling schemes offering money off products and using recycled materials in their devices.

Governments have introduced laws restricting the shipping of e-waste to developing companies, and most large tech companies offer a recycling service to dispose of old devices correctly.

However, the most significant rise has been in companies like Mazuma Mobile, set up on the sole premise that we only take old devices and recycle them, providing them with new life. We either break them down and reuse the parts still working, or if they are in excellent condition, give them a good polish, and they usually scrub up relatively well. Most of the time, you can’t even tell it has been preloved. Find out what happens when you recycle your phone with Mazuma and the benefits it provides across many of our support and information pages.

Alternative options to putting old tech in the bin

We all get to that stage with our devices. Either we wish for the latest model, or the device is no longer viable. For whatever reason, you no longer want your old tech, many alternatives to throwing it away exist to prevent the ever-growing landfills.

Give your device away – Suppose you have an old game console that you no longer need due to upgrading to a more modern device. In that case, could there be a younger family member who could benefit from a starter console? Doing this can prevent your old Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo from contaminating the environment whilst providing joy to someone else (and could save you money on an upcoming birthday).

Donate your device to charity – Many charities seek old tech to help struggling families. They become a lifeline for vulnerable people with likes of mobile phones. Alternatively, selling them can raise the money to provide vital funds to their causes. For just £60, your device could achieve a week of shopping for someone in need.

Sell your devices – With so many companies offering to take your appliances and resell them or recycle them into new devices, there should be no reason to bin your old technology. Even if you wish to sell privately, you actively prevent e-waste and can get cash for your old tech.

Use recycling centres – Every local authority has several recycling centres where you can take your broken technology, such as TVs, and they will dispose of them correctly. You can even take empty batteries to many local supermarkets, which will send them to be recycled correctly—preventing them from contaminating landfills.

Benefits of recycling your phone and tablets with Mazuma Mobile

We understand there are ample options to sell your mobiles and tech. You could sell them on marketplaces and online auctions or sell them to a friend or family, but how long does that take? How long have you sat there with your old devices, waiting to find the perfect buyer to give you the money you expect to gain from your phone or tablet? Then there is the hassle of organising the collection and the to and froing of this. Plus, any postage costs that this will incur.

So if you are thinking, “is it time to sell my device?” find out how much it could be worth with our easy and speedy process. Even if your device is broken, you can still get a decent price when you trade in your tech. You can help save the planet, earn yourself some extra cash and regain space in junk drawers and cupboards.

We also have many pages of helpful advice if you are still unsure. However, we are confident that you will be a happy customer, just like many others have testified with their excellent reviews of our award-winning services.

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