It is a sad fact that many people in developing countries such as Ghana, China, India and Nigeria are forced to scratch a living from picking through the discarded remains of illegally dumped electronic waste items to extract the remaining precious metals which can then be sold on for a small fee.
Not only is this practice environmentally dangerous, with large areas being consigned to open dumps of unwanted electronics where toxins such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and flame retardants are able to leach directly into the ground and the water supply, but it is has significant adverse effects on the health of the people who take part in this dangerous profession. The mainly young men and boys who spend their days rifling through these vast e-dumps are exposed to many harmful chemicals which often result in them contracting cancer whilst still in their early 20’s. In countries whose health service is still developing, this is usually fatal.
But where does all of this e-waste come from?
Unfortunately the answer is often the developed countries of the West, whose stringent electronic waste recycling laws can be easily and cheaply circumvented by simply shipping any old or unwanted electronic items to countries whose electronics recycling policies are much more lenient.
It is estimated that 50 million tonnes of electronic waste has ended up in these so-called e-dumps, with 17,765 tonnes of e-waste from the UK being sent to Ghana in 2011 alone (over half of all of the electronic refuse that Ghana took in that year).
So what’s the alternative?
If you want to ensure that your old or unwanted computers, telecoms systems and other electronics are treated both ethically and environmentally soundly then it is important to choose a specialist IT recycling company, such as Buy IT Back.
Firstly Buy IT Back will ensure that as much of your old IT equipment is refurbished and reused as possible. This means that most of it will never even be considered for landfill or incineration. And even if there are components that cannot be reused, we are specialists in safely breaking down items into their component elements and either reusing or recycling these. And what’s more we are usually able to pay you for the privilege!
So rather than simply chucking your unwanted electronics away, or trusting them to a dubious ‘recycling’ company, contact Buy IT Back today and we will ensure that your equipment is treated safely, securely and ethically – and will even pay you for doing so!
