Technology is a trend that will never go out of date. Every day is a new day for technology – you find a newly launched tech-device turning into a craze or a new smartphone catching the consumer’s eye. In fact, technology has such a powerful impact on people’s mindset, that a consumer almost plans for his next smartphone purchase when he is already shopping one.
Due to this disrupted mindset of consumers and many other reasons, e-waste management has become a global issue. But we can sort this out if we understand the causes and the solutions to e-waste problem in more detail.
What Causes E-waste?
The most important factors responsible for the accumulation of e-waste are rapid development in technology, consumer mindset, and population.
1. Development in technology – The rapid advancement in technology has lead to the continuous launch of new gadgets with upgraded versions. This lures customers to buy new tech-devices and ditch their old electronics even if they are still working in a good condition.
2. Consumer mindset – As people are getting access to better technology in terms of price and quality, they are becoming more accustomed to frequently replacing the old electronics with new ones. Moreover, affordability and spending power in middle-class income families is increasing which is further adding to the rise in electronic waste. The desire to have higher standards of living is making a common man spend more on technology.
3. Population – Indirectly, if the population is increasing the sales of electronics will also increase – the above-stated factors will also have a greater impact.
Thus, all these factors together contribute towards the rise in e-waste. These are witnessed both in developed as well as the developing countries.
But if a new gadget is ready on every door to hold the place of an old one, where the retired electronics will go? What will be their future? According to Global E-waste Monitor Report 2017, the rise in electronic waste is estimated to increase by 17% by 2021 – nearing to 52.2 million metric tonnes of e-waste.
So, the one thing to be noted here is – constant purchasing of the new devices, throwing old electronics into a trash or disposing of them in a landfill are making the heap of e-waste. The report reveals this fact, as in 2016, 4% of the e-waste was dumped into landfills, 76% was sent to incineration sites with only 20% recycled by the third-party recycling companies. The rest of it was found gathering dust in a storeroom of houses. These malpractices of burying, burning and storing e-waste is acting as a major threat to us and our environment. This is the fastest growing problem which needs to be addressed. How? Let us find it out!
Can E-waste Management be a Game Changer for UAE?
There are recycling companies in UAE doing just that. One of these is Veracity World, an innovative company that thinks a step ahead of all these issues. It provides solutions to turn e-waste into an opportunity:
Responsible e-waste disposition – Let us use the word e-waste recycling instead of e-waste disposition. Veracity World gives an opportunity to recycle e-waste in a cost efficient manner. The company provides inclusive recycling solutions which help you treat your e-waste in the most responsible way. It makes sure that every possible material recovered through recycling is reused. The most important thing, it prevents e-waste from going into the landfill.
Repair and re-use – if it is not the end of your gadgets life, a better option is to repair and reuse. Veracity World also gives you the option to repair the gadgets and upgrade all the components (hard-drives, circuits etc.) in order to increase their product life. This will not just help you achieve the e-waste management goals but also enhance your personal savings.
There are many more advantages that make e-waste management a game-changer:
- The widespread reuse and recycling of electronic waste to prevent it from causing adverse effects is a dynamic strategy that intensifies the reuse of existing resources. This can help you achieve more sustainable pattern of consumption which is inevitable.
- It helps in reducing the harmful impact on the environment
- Recycle and reuse of the electronics gadgets gives a boost to secondary economy. Also, with the installation of refurbished units, the employment rate increases which ultimately leads to improved GDP and per capita income (To know more, have a look at the latest trends going on in the African countries and other markets.)
- Refurbished goods being economical, serves an advantage of greater technology penetration thereby improving the living standards
- To a certain extent, reuse reduces the problem of trans-boundary movement. (Know more benefits of e-waste management, so you can spot the opportunities faster)
All these benefits can be availed if we pay heed to more sustainable options that are offered by recycling companies like Veracity World. Though e-waste management is executed by these companies, the first step towards it starts from your home and office. So, understand the rising global issue of e-waste and try turning that into an incredible opportunity.
