How to manage e-waste, old computers and old phones

Electronic waste is a type of waste that many people may overlook. It is becoming a big problem globally, as it often is not disposed of properly.

Many people do not know that electronic waste should be separated from plastic and other general waste before disposal. In addition, there are still many people who still don’t know where to dispose of this waste when it is due to be thrown away. There is a recent report from the Pollution Control Department that summarizes the pollution situation in Thailand. It states that “ Community hazardous waste generated in 2018 amounted to 638,000 tons, of which only 13% were properly recycled. ”

WHAT IS E-WASTE?

Electronic waste, or E-Waste, is an electronic device that is no longer in use. Often, it is an either damaged or expired.

• mobile phone
• computer
• laptop
• CPU
• tablet
• hard disk
• TV
• stereo video player
• copier or fax machine

These are all electronic devices almost everybody uses in their daily life.

Hazardous waste, including electronic waste, can cause air pollution, and/or contaminate water and soil with toxic substances. As a result of the waste often containing heavy metals and harmful substances, it also can undermine public health in various ways by causing illnesses to people exposed to hazardous air or water. These illnesses include headaches, diarrhea, skin irritations, fatal destruction of the nervous system and many types of cancer.

SO HOW SHOULD E-WASTES BE DISPOSED OF SAFELY?

According to a survey from the Bureau of Environment, more than 50 percent of users choose to sell their electronic waste to junkyard buyers or junkyard trucks, who tend to disassemble the waste. By selecting only the valuable parts to be resold and disposing of the remaining garbage. This unwanted garbage tends to be mixed in with general waste.

The mixing of waste products and the improper handling of waste products can negatively affect public health in the short and long term by contaminating water sources, soil and air.

To help reduce the wastes, ADD recommends that users of electronic devices choose to dispose of this waste using a data and electronic waste disposal company that provides certified data erasing and destruction services The procedures and processes meet the guidelines and standards of world-class agencies.

This allows electronic waste to be properly sorted and recycled. This also makes them able to be reused, which will cut costs and also help to reduce pollution in the long run.

Therefore, when it is time to retire computers, mobile phones, and other IT equipment, using a data and electronic waste destruction company specifically certified to destroy and dispose of electronic waste properly is the way to go. In addition, these certified companies follow a standardized and secure data destruction protocol, which can prevent data leakage from retired devices. Improper disposal of electronic waste can lead to data leaks, particularly if the devices are sold to buyers without being sanitized. Since the data inside an improperly discarded device has not undergone the correct data destruction process, the data on these devices can potentially be still accessible to bad actors. As a result, data theft may occur, which bad actors can exploit for profit. In worse-case scenarios, this kind of data theft can lead to property and safety damage.

Ref : How to manage E-Waste