CNN Business —
Over the past two months, Apple, Google and Samsung have all unveiled their latest smartphones and other devices, with the aim of enticing consumers to upgrade before the holidays. But in the process, these and other companies may also be contributing to a growing problem: e-waste.
The limited lifespan of many tech devices combined with few options to repair older devices has meant that the problem of e-waste has escalated over the years. United Nations data shows that the world generated a staggering 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste in 2019, and only 17.4% of that was recycled.
Friday is International E-Waste Day, an annual opportunity to reflect on the impact of e-waste and do more to fix or recycle it. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) Forum, a Brussels-based non-profit organization that has led the event since 2018, said the focus this year is on taking action on the small pieces of e-waste that many people unintentionally hoard, including your old cell phone, headphones, remote controls and computer mouse.
“People often don’t realize that all of these seemingly insignificant items have great value and together represent huge amounts on a global scale,” Pascal Leroy, director-general of the WEEE Forum, said in a statement.
E-waste is about much more than just freeing up space in your garbage drawer.
The US Environmental Protection Agency says large swaths of e-waste are being shipped to developing countries that don’t have the capacity to refuse those imports or the infrastructure to safely recycle them. The World Health Organization also warned that children, with their smaller hands, are often used to process mountains of e-waste in developing countries in search of valuable elements such as copper, silver, palladium and more. The WHO said more than 18 million children are exposed to a range of negative health effects from being employed in this informal e-waste processing industry.
With the phones, laptops and chargers you have stashed around your home, here are a few steps you can take to reduce your exposure to e-waste.
If you live in an area that offers e-waste disposal services (either through designated pickup times or at a drop-off point), experts say it’s one of the easiest and most intuitive ways to dispose of old gadgets.
In recent years, various coalitions have formed to give consumers the opportunity to dispose of devices responsibly. The e-Stewards Group and Sustainable Electronics Recycling International each offer online tools to find recycling centers that they have certified.
The collective impact of recycling e-waste can be overwhelming. According to the EPA, for every 1 million cell phones recycled, 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.
But not all municipalities in the US provide e-waste recycling infrastructure.
If you can’t find a recycling center nearby, a growing list of major retailers — including Staples and Best Buy — also offer programs that allow customers to bring e-waste to recycling. And many manufacturers, including Apple (AAPL), have programs that offer credit or free recycling in exchange for trading used equipment. For example, Google (GOOG) offers the option to request a free shipping label to send in some used devices and electronics for recycling.
Environmentalists say the most important step to solving the growing e-waste problem is simply trying to keep your electronics in use for as long as possible. In a way, this is becoming easier than ever.
While tech makers have come under fire for tactics designed to get you to upgrade, policymakers have recently enacted changes to push companies to make it easier for customers to repair consumer electronics and the rise of the right-to-repair – support movement.
Earlier this year, Apple and Samsung opened their self-service repair stores, offering parts for users looking for do-it-yourself repairs for their smartphones. Google also announced that it will offer original Pixel parts for DIYers in an online shop this year.