The amount of waste that needs to be handled locally and worldwide can be decreased by sustainably managing electronics by lowering the number of materials used, boosting reuse, refurbishing and extending the life of devices, and recycling electronics. Analyzing a product’s whole life cycle can reveal fresh ways to lessen its negative effects on the environment, conserve resources, and cut prices.
Each stage of the life cycle is depicted in the picture below, which is followed by a more thorough description. Some producers of electronics have adapted cutting-edge strategies to guarantee that electronic products are sourced, designed, and maintained sustainably throughout their entire cycles. For these procedures, the businesses named here have won prizes from the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge.
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Table of Contents
Materials Purchasing
The high-tech electronics goods that impact our daily lives depend heavily on materials like iron, gold, aluminum, palladium, platinum, lithium, copper, and polymers. These components are removed from the earth, moved, refined, and added to finished goods. These activities consume a lot of energy, emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, harm the environment, and exhaust our natural resources. Cutting back on materials helps protect natural resources, save energy, and lessen pollution.
Manufacturing and Product Design
To create more environmentally friendly items, electronics production and design are essential. As electronics that have less of an adverse effect on the environment and human health frequently use more recycled materials, are more durable, and are recyclable, source reduction, also known as waste prevention, is crucial in design and manufacture.
Purchasing and Utilizing Products
Educating people about environmentally friendly purchase options is the first step in using electronics responsibly. Learn about cutting-edge methods for using and purchasing products.
Although users also play a big part in preserving their devices, manufacturers have a responsibility to make goods that are strong, long-lasting, reusable, and recyclable.
Electronics are collected through mail-in, take-back, and warranty programs from manufacturers, specific retailers, and community drop-off locations. Reusable electronics are either sent to recycling facilities to be sorted, cleaned, and converted into materials that can be used again in manufacture, or they are sent to recovery facilities to be reused, repaired, and resold. Reusable electronics are repaired and sold after collection, and recyclables are taken to recycling facilities where they are sorted, cleaned, and turned into materials that can be used again in manufacture.
Utilization and Renovation
Electronics that have undergone updating and repair are referred to as refurbished. Reusing electronics increases product lifespans and helps cut down on the amount of raw materials coming from new sources.
Recycling
Sorting, deconstruction, mechanical separation, and material recovery are all included in recycling. Recycling used electronics can produce components (such as gold, copper, glass, and aluminum) that can be added back into the supply chain and utilized again, lowering the amount of raw materials needed and the need to dispose of the used electronics.
Electronics Sustainability Management
The number and sophistication of electronic gadgets is constantly growing. These technologies are now essential to both our way of life and the development of our economy. But as these technologies advance, it becomes more difficult to safeguard the environment and public health from any possible harm brought on by incorrect use or disposal.
Both at work and at home, a long-term sustainable strategy to electronics stewardship is required. Given the widespread use of electronics, the federal government is dedicated to using electronics responsibly and to leading the charge for responsible electronics stewardship in the country. The following procedures are part of sustainable electronics management:
Electronics reuse and donation
Any waste management strategy, including recycling, is preferred to waste prevention. Used electronics that are still functional can be donated to other uses, extending their useful lives and preventing them from entering the waste stream.
Electronics recycling
Households and businesses can send their unwanted devices to be recycled if donation for reuse or repair is not a practical alternative.
Getting green
In order to use electronics responsibly, it is necessary to dispose of outdated equipment properly at the end of its useful life and to buy new equipment that has been built with environmental considerations in mind.
Advantages of Good Electronics Stewardship
Intensifying efforts to manage electronics sustainably may boost the value of American exports, generate green jobs, promote a thriving domestic recycling and refurbishing industry, and enable more productive usage of valuable materials. If done correctly, the United States can increase domestic recycling efforts, lessen damage from exports of electronics waste (e-waste) handled unsafely in developing nations, strengthen domestic and international markets for viable and functional used electronic products, and prevent health and environmental threats both domestically and internationally.
Recycling electronics helps to reduce the pollution produced during the production of a new product and the requirement to extract important and finite virgin materials. Recycling electronic waste also cuts down on the energy required to produce new goods.
Electronics donations make it possible for educational institutions, charities, and low-income households to purchase equipment they otherwise would not be able to. Tax incentives for donated computer equipment are also available to businesses.
