Do you have a pair of headphones just lying around and all you can ever think of is “I can’t wait to sell my headphones”?
Thanks to the advancement in technology, we have new gadgets and electronics being launched every now and then. So, what exactly do you do with the old gadgets that you have? They are basically waste now, serving no purpose in your lives whatsoever.
In this situation, many either opt to sell off their electronics or merely exchange them with their peers. Or maybe just donate it to someone who is more in the need of those electronics. Still, how about the electronic items that are not in working condition or something that you simply cannot get repaired? It might be too expensive or maybe just not worth the effort.
You can’t just dispose of them in your bins. These electronics are made of deadly chemicals and if you just throw them like every other waste, they will contaminate your soil, pollute the air, and also make the groundwater toxic. In other words, we will be doomed. Our environment will be doomed.
So, to help you make a conscious and clear choice, here are a few ways to dispose of your electronic waste and be a responsible citizen of your country. These ways are necessary to keep the health of people around you in check. You can also visit the website to sell your headphones without any hindrances.
Send the unused electronics to a certified e-waste recycler
Recycling the electronics that you are not using is perhaps the most eco-friendly way to dispose of them. The best thing about going to a certified e-waste recycler is that you can find plenty of them around you.
It is crucial, however, that you find a recycler that has been certified by BAN or the Basel Action Network. BAN or Basel Action Network are non-profit organizations that aim to recycle e-waste.
Their main motto is to get rid of all the electronic waste in a responsible and safest manner possible. When you work with these individuals, you can dispose of your e-waste without worrying about polluting your nation.
Donate it
If you are unable to find a certified e-waste recycler, you can always consider donating the product to those in need. Of course, it is a given that you should make sure that the product is not complete garbage before donating it.
These gadgets that you no longer need might be useful for other individuals. For instance, if you have a computer, you can donate it to an NGO or maybe a student who might be in the need. But before you do that, make sure that one, your electronic item is working and two, there is no personal information stored in it.
Sell it off
If you are in the mood of making some money, rather than donating or exchanging the electronic, consider selling the same. What is junk for you might be a treasure for someone else. Since the product will already be used before, you won’t be able to send it at the exact rate that you bought it for. You will need to reduce the price.
The other person might not have enough budget but would have wanted the product that you are selling. This can work for both of you. However, there are conditions that apply to selling. These include the product to be in a working condition, being honest, putting the minimum price, and that the product should be clean.
If it is not in working condition, just send it back to the company.
Give it back to the company you bought it from
Another thing that you can do to dispose of your electronic waste from your back is giving the product back to the company. You will find plenty of electronic companies that have an exchange policy. You can take your old gadgets back to them and might get a discount on your new purchase. It is not a bad deal if you see.
If you can’t find any of such companies, a few recycling units have set up drop-off points for electronic waste in different corners of the country. You can drop off your phones, tablets, or even your headphones that have just been lying around. To find these stops, simply ask your local electronics shop.
Why Disposing Of E-Waste Is The Right Step
You have already read different ways to dispose of your e-waste in a safe and responsible manner. However, what could be the reason for you to be so careful with it? It’s just all waste, right?
If you don’t dispose of your waste, there are two things that will happen. It will either go to landfills from dumpsters or you can find them being sold off in unregulated markets.
When you give your electronics to a recycling company, they use toxic metal and plastic to make more electronics. These elements are used in a much better way than disposing of them into the environment and contaminating the soil as well as water.
This task is not as easy as it might sound. The metal that is extracted by these companies can be used in other electronics including laptops, electric car batteries, and smartphones.
Metals that are recycled are at least two to ten times more energy-efficient than the ones extracted from virgin ore. Moreover, the metals that most electronics use are hard to obtain locally.
And as for the unregulated markets, they try to extract this metal on their own. Due to, what could be a lack of skills and necessary safety measures, this entire process becomes dangerous for the environment and for the individuals around.
Conclusion
We all get very excited whenever we buy a new gadget. But we also need to realize that we are taking up an extra responsibility by doing the same. This just means that you should know how to dispose of your e-waste once it is of no use to you before you upgrade. It is crucial for your health and that of the environment.
