Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ewasterecycling, aggregated by home.social.
DRAM prices have surged by as much as 500% over the past year. BuySellRam.com continues to buy your surplus DDR4 and DDR5 RAM in bulk, helping businesses turn unused memory into value while keeping technology in productive use. Have excess, unused, or decommissioned RAM? Contact BuySellRam.com to sell your memory today.
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-memory-ram/
#DRAM #DDR4 #DDR5 #RAM #SellRAM #ITAD #Ewaste #EWasteRecycling #ITRecycling #Recycling #Sustainability #CircularEconomy
DRAM prices have surged by as much as 500% over the past year. BuySellRam.com continues to buy your surplus DDR4 and DDR5 RAM in bulk, helping businesses turn unused memory into value while keeping technology in productive use. Have excess, unused, or decommissioned RAM? Contact BuySellRam.com to sell your memory today.
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-memory-ram/
#DRAM #DDR4 #DDR5 #RAM #SellRAM #ITAD #Ewaste #EWasteRecycling #ITRecycling #Recycling #Sustainability #CircularEconomy
Junkbin, a Way to Efficiently Reuse Your Old Electronics
Introducing my new Kitchen Kiosk! Tells me the weather, my calendar, time, some cute anime pics I've collected, some news feeds. All with an old Surface Go 2 I got from the bin at work.
For a long time now I've doing the same using an old Windows 10 tablet called the Linx 1010. Initially I used them to track the spread of COVID in early 2020, which I have a scary picture of.
The 1010 was very unique for not being powerful enough to run Windows 10 (despite running it), and having a 64bit CPU, but a 32bit EFI bootloader.
This meant that while it was capable of running a 64bit Operating System, it could not boot the 64bit bootloader that it would obviously have.
Unofficially though, you could create a custom installer of Linux, (I chose Ubuntu), whereby replacing the Grub64 package with the x86 equivalent, you could boot a 64bit operating system (which was essential once they dropped 32bit support).
This entire process was very time consuming, mostly trial-and-error, and made worse by the fact that the Linx 1010 could barely run Ubuntu, let alone Windows. Every operation has a 2-12 second lag, the Wi-Fi was flaky at best, god knows what state the disk was in.
Anyway, it was all enough to run Magic Mirror and I had the tablet set up as a kiosk for a good 6 or 7 years, well past the expected lifetime of this poor manufactured e-waste that released in 2015.
A few weeks ago my work was disposing of a Surface Go 2, a significantly more powerful piece of e-waste that mercifully had a 64bit boot-loader. The only downside is it had a higher power requirement and I had to swap out the plug socket to have an 18W USB-C port instead of whatever the Linx used.
Now my replacement kiosk is brighter, faster, and even came with a handy bluetooth keyboard.
I still have 5 Linx 1010s not sure what the fuck to do with those now. The screen, disk, RAM, is all perfectly fine, the batteries are even lasting a good 30 - 40 minutes still, a couple of them do sometimes they do randomly reboot and they tend to drop from the Wi-Fi occasionally and they probably only support 2.4GHz but still. It's a touchscreen. That's like £70 for a raspberry pi and this is still probably 2x more powerful than any of those.
#MagicMirror #Upcycling #ewasterecycling
Only 10% of E-Waste is Formally Recycled in Bangladesh as Policy Implementation Falters
Tagging for an early #SolarPunkSunday
#SalemMA - #EWasteRecycling Event
Saturday, June 27, 2026
8 am - 12 Noon
Salem Residents and Property Owners only (with ID or Tax Bill)
Salem High School
77 Willson Street
Salem, MA
"$20 cash or check, per unit: TVs, Monitors, Microwaves, dehumidifiers, ACs, vacuum cleaners.
$40 cash or check, per unit: Refrigerators, Exercise Equipment, battery-powered lawn equipment, free-standing electronic devices such as fireplaces, heaters, air hockey tables, etc.
All Other Electronic Items: FREE Including: Computer towers, laptops, tablets, cellphones, small appliances, household electronics including phones, printers, fax machines, cd players, etc.
If your item is still in good working condition, consider donating it via one of the local #BuyNothing pages or other swap groups."
Source:
https://greensalem.com/event/e-waste-recycling-event-13/
Link to PDF flyer:
https://www.salemma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8533/E-Waste-Flyer-2026pdf
#EWaste #Recycling #SalemRecycles #GreenSalem #ZeroWasteSalem
Hoshiarpur e waste drive collects 1.5 tonnes of e waste by “Beyond the I” foundations run by Ms Manveen Singh
#TycoonWorld #Hoshiarpur #EWasteDrive #WorldEnvironmentDay #BeyondTheI #ManveenSingh #EWasteRecycling #EnvironmentalAwareness #GreenInitiative #Sustainability #ElectronicWaste #RecycleResponsibly #ClimateAction #EcoFriendly #WasteManagement #EnvironmentalConservation #PunjabNews #CommunityImpact #GoGreen #CleanEnvironment
https://www.europesays.com/3024618/ The Geopolitical Chessboard: Why Critical Minerals Matter Now #america #batteries #Canada #CarlosMeneses #China #CleanEnergy #EWasteRecycling #ElectricVehicles #EUGENIOMARÍN #FUMEC #geopolitics #KeywordsCriticalMinerals #México #NationalSecurity #nearshoring #Politics #refining #semiconductors #SupplyChain #technology #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #UnitedStatesPolitics #US #USPolitics #USA #UsaPolitics #USMCA
Foxway Circular UK wins King’s Award for SMART software https://www.byteseu.com/2001114/ #AssetManagement #DataSecurity #DeviceConfiguration #EWasteRecycling #GlobalExpansion #GreatBritain #GreenIT #ITAssetManagement #ITDepartment #ITIndustry #ITAM #microsoft #Oobe #PartnerProgrammes #ProcessAutomation #productivity #PublicSector #QualityAssurance #Risk&Compliance #SmallBusiness(SMB) #Sustainability #UnitedKingdom #UnitedKingdom(UK) #windows #WorkflowAutomation
https://www.europesays.com/2914198/ How Lagos recycled 405.17 tonnes e-waste in 2025 – EnviroNews #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #Environment #LagosStateGovernment #LagosWasteManagementAuthority(LAWMA) #Year2025
How Lagos recycled 405.17 tonnes e-waste in 2025 – EnviroNews https://www.byteseu.com/1934137/ #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #environment #LagosStateGovernment #LagosWasteManagementAuthority(LAWMA) #Year2025
@gerrymcgovern So, some progress has been made toward less-polluting methods of separating recycled copper (an iron-based leaching solution). It's definitely a big problem!
E-waste recycling in an optimized way for copper recovery by leaching and a case study on E-waste generation and management in Dhaka city
"[D]espite government initiatives to regulate e-waste management, unsafe handling practices remain widespread. These practices not only endanger workers and the environment but also hinder regulatory efforts. The study emphasizes the urgent need for stricter regulations, greater public awareness, and the adoption of eco-friendly methods, like the proposed iron-based solution, to ensure safer and more effective copper recovery."
Sustainability-inspired cell design for a fully #recyclable #SodiumIon battery
Tiefeng Liu, Yaping Zhang, Chao Chen, Zhan Lin, Shanqing Zhang , Jun Lu
Nature Communications, 2019 Apr 29
"Effective #recycling technologies represent a solution to the #sustainability and environmental consequences of spent #RechargeableBatteries . Here, the authors show a bipolar electrode design that allows not only good electrochemical performance but a closed loop of material use for sodium ion batteries."
Read more:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6488666/
#SolarPunkSunday #Reuse #SodiumIonBatteries #NewTechnology
#GiantLeap #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #EWasteReuse
New method converts old phones and paper industry #waste into #GreenBattery tech
Scientists have created a sustainable, cost-effective, and highly efficient solution that promotes a #CircularEconomy while supporting the transition to greener #EnergyStorage.
By
Mrigakshi Dixit
Feb 20, 2026 06:59 AM EST
"A new sustainable method turns discarded #MobilePhoneBatteries and industrial lignin into a powerhouse material for #SodiumIon batteries.
"It is a stunning example of circular economy innovation. Rather than letting these materials sit in #landfills or go up in smoke, the team from China is giving the waste a high-tech second life.
"When tested as a sodium-ion battery anode, this composite of #nickel-#cobalt sulfides and #lignin-derived carbon delivered electrochemical results."
Read more:
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/battery-material-from-old-phone-batteries
#SolarPunkSunday #CellPhoneBatteries #Reuse #SodiumIonBatteries #NewTechnology #GiantLeap #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #EWasteReuse
#GoldExtraction from #EWaste gets 10 times more efficient with new sponge material
Researchers developed a nanoscale cross-dimensional composite material via self-assembly of two-dimensional graphene oxide and one-dimensional chitosan macromolecules.
By Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Oct 27, 2024
"Researchers have developed a new type of material that’s 10 times more efficient at extracting gold from e-waste than previous adsorbents. Developed by chemists and materials scientists at the National University of Singapore, the material is a type of sponge made of #GrapheneOxide and #chitosan [shrimp shells].
"The material can reportedly transform the way gold is extracted from electronic wastes, which has been described so far as a dirty business with low yields and results in toxic #pollutants.
"The cheaper, cleaner and efficient method was tested by researchers using real e-waste provided by a recycling company."
[...]
"While the present work focused on gold, the team say the technique could be adapted to recover other valuable metals such as #silver, #platinum or #palladium from #ElectronicWaste or even #mining residues. And that is not all: as well as e-waste, the technology might be applied to a wider range of environmental cleaning efforts, such as filtering out #HeavyMetals from #PollutedWater sources or industrial effluents, reported Physics World."
Read more:
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/gold-extraction-from-e-waste-sponge
Article in Physics World - Eco-friendly graphene composite recovers gold from e-waste
24 Oct 2024
https://physicsworld.com/a/eco-friendly-graphene-composite-recovers-gold-from-e-waste/
#SolarPunkSunday #NoGoldMining
#EWasteRecycling #MetalsExtraction #Electronics #RareEarthMinerals #Recycling #NewTechnology #ShrimpShells
#MIT develops new way to recover critical metals from #EWaste
A multi-step process could produce 1.2 kilograms per day, but its viability depends on expanding #recycling efforts.
Elizabeth A. Thomson, November 24, 2025
"MIT researchers have developed a new, efficient way to recycle #gallium, #indium, and potentially other critical metals key to modern electronics from e-waste like discarded computer screens. The process could also be applied to waste streams from companies that create products containing these metals.
" 'Once optimized, our process could recover 1.2 kilograms of these metals per day,' says Antoine Allanore, a professor of metallurgy in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He notes, however, that this can only happen if a great deal of e-waste is recycled, and currently there are no large-scale efforts to that end. The recycling rate for gallium and indium from e-waste is currently close to 0 percent.
"The work is important because gallium and indium are listed as critical metals by the United States and the European Union. That’s because they are only produced as byproducts from the #mining of other metals like zinc and aluminum, and those mining operations, in turn, are dominated by only a few countries, including China.
"For many reasons, it doesn’t make economic sense to open new zinc and aluminum mines solely for these byproducts, says Allanore. 'Can we instead recycle and recover these two critical metals from e-waste?'
"He and colleagues have developed a multi-step process to do just that. These steps range from first physically removing #LED chips and other sources of the metals from the e-waste, to exposing them to high temperatures to liberate chemical components. Many of these steps are familiar to industry."
https://mrl.mit.edu/article/mit-develops-new-way-to-recover-critical-metals-from-e-waste
#SolarPunkSunday #NoMining #EWasteRecycling #MetalsExtraction #Electronics
#ZeroWasteAotearoa - Mine #EWaste for #gold, not beautiful landscapes
February 16, 2026
"As a fast-track consent is sought for a major gold mine in #CentralOtago and another has already been granted in #Coromandel, #ZeroWaste #Aotearoa is calling upon the government to mine #ElectronicWaste, not beautiful landscapes, for gold and other precious metals.
"E-waste contains a significant concentration of gold, with one metric tonne of electronic waste containing up to 800 times more gold than a tonne of mined ore. While precious metals (including gold, silver, copper) make up approximately 60% of the composition of some e-waste, gold specifically is highly concentrated, with a single tonne of circuit boards containing roughly 39 grams of gold.
"#NewZealand currently generates 99,000 tonnes of e-waste every single year. Approximately 98 percent ends up in landfill or is disposed of illegally, according to the Ministry for the Environment.
" 'At present the voluntary product stewardship scheme means that we have one of the lowest rates of e-waste recovery in the world. We are literally throwing gold away into landfills while proposing to dig it up elsewhere in some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. It is the height of madness,' says Sue Coutts of Zero Waste Aotearoa.
" 'Like many people across the country, we are gravely concerned about the environmental impact of gold mining. We think that there are much better ways to get these valuable resources – and ensure that they stay in circulation forever, not dumped in landfills.'
" 'The World Gold Council says that only 7% of gold is used in tech but 27% of worldwide gold production is already from recycling. This is more than 4 times what we need for tech – there is no valid reason to dig up any more of our precious #ecosystems.'
" '#ProductStewardship would create a pathway for a new industry: one built on resource recovery of valuable materials and a #CircularEconomy.
"NZ company #MINTInnovation relocated to #Sydney because they could tap into flows of e-waste from extended producer responsibility schemes that collect electronic waste in #Australia .
"They chose not to invest in NZ because there is no regulated e-waste scheme here. That’s $60m in turnover that will be dropping into the Australian economy every year instead of ours.
"E-waste was declared a priority product in June 2020 requiring the establishment of a regulated product stewardship scheme under the #WasteMinimisationAct. Yet six years on, a mandatory scheme is not in place and no further work is being done.
"Electronic waste, or e-waste, includes discarded electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and televisions. E-waste is a rich source of precious metals and #RareEarth elements, including gold, #silver, #platinum, and #palladium, used in #CircuitBoards and components."
Source:
https://zerowaste.co.nz/media-statement-mine-e-waste-for-gold-not-beautiful-landscapes/
#SolarPunkSunday #NoGoldMining #EWasteRecycling #MetalsExtraction #Electronics
#SalemMA - #EWaste Recycling Event
March 28 @ 8:00 am
"$20 cash or check, per unit: TVs, Monitors, Microwaves, dehumidifiers, ACs, vacuum cleaners.
$40 cash or check, per unit: Refrigerators, Exercise Equipment, battery-powered lawn equipment, free-standing electronic devices such as fireplaces, heaters, air hockey tables, etc.
All Other Electronic Items: FREE Including: Computer towers, laptops, tablets, cellphones, small appliances, household electronics including phones, printers, fax machines, cd players, etc.
If your item is still in good working condition, consider donating it via one of the local #BuyNothing pages or other swap groups."
https://greensalem.com/event/e-waste-recycling-event-12/
#SolarPunkSunday #ZeroWasteSalem #ElectronicWaste #EWasteRecycling
What Actually Happens to E-Waste After Recycling? A Step-by-Step Look
What actually happens to e-waste after recycling? Discover the step-by-step process of collection, sorting, dismantling, and material recovery.
Read the full breakdown here: https://www.ecsenvironment.com/what-actually-happens-to-ewaste-after-recycling/
#EWaste #ITAssetDisposition #Recycling #EwasteManagement #EWasteRecycling #EWasteCollection #ECSEnvironment #ECS
Enterprise SSDs and hard drives remain in strong demand as data centers and cloud providers continue upgrading infrastructure. If you have surplus or decommissioned SSDs or HDDs, now is a good time to sell. Request a quote from BuySellRam.com:
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-ssd-hard-drive/
#SellSSD #SellHardDrives #EnterpriseStorage #DataCenterHardware #ITAD #EwasteRecycling #AIInfrastructure #ServerHardware #CloudComputing #BuySellRam #SustainableIT
Enterprise SSDs and hard drives remain in strong demand as data centers and cloud providers continue upgrading infrastructure. If you have surplus or decommissioned SSDs or HDDs, now is a good time to sell. Request a quote from BuySellRam.com:
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-ssd-hard-drive/
#SellSSD #SellHardDrives #EnterpriseStorage #DataCenterHardware #ITAD #EwasteRecycling #AIInfrastructure #ServerHardware #CloudComputing #BuySellRam #SustainableIT
Now is a great time to sell CPUs. If you have surplus or decommissioned processors—from servers, workstations, or lab environments—you can request a quote from BuySellRam.com.
👉 Check this page: https://www.buysellram.com/sell-cpu-processor/
#SellCPU #SellProcessors #UsedCPU #ServerCPU #EnterpriseHardware #DataCenter #AIInfrastructure #CloudComputing #HPC #EdgeComputing #ITAD #ITAssetRecovery #EwasteRecycling #GreenIT #CircularEconomy #SellCPU #DataCenter #AIInfrastructure #ITAD #SurplusIT
If your organization has unused or decommissioned GPUs from servers, workstations, or AI clusters, you can request a secure, business-focused quote from BuySellRam.com.
Learn more here:
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-graphics-card-gpu/
#SellGPU #SellGraphicsCard #GPU #NVIDIA #AMD #AIHardware #DeepLearning #HPC #DataCenter #ServerHardware #EnterpriseIT #ITAssetDisposition #ITAD #EwasteRecycling #GreenIT #CircularEconomy #BuySellRam
The global CPU market continues to tighten as AI infrastructure, cloud expansion, and data center upgrades drive strong demand for high-performance processors. Enterprise and server-grade CPUs are seeing renewed interest as businesses refresh systems to support AI, virtualization, and edge computing workloads.
Now is a great time to sell CPUs. If you have surplus or decommissioned processors—from servers, workstations, or lab environments—you can request a quote from BuySellRam.com.
👉 Check this page: https://www.buysellram.com/sell-cpu-processor/
#SellCPU #SellProcessors #UsedCPU #ServerCPU #EnterpriseHardware #DataCenter #AIInfrastructure #CloudComputing #HPC #EdgeComputing #EwasteRecycling #GreenIT #CircularEconomy #TechResale #SurplusIT #DataCenterLifecycle #tech
How to Choose a Certified IT Asset Disposal Provider: A Smart Buyer’s Guide
Learn how to choose a certified IT asset disposal provider with tips on certifications, data security, compliance, sustainability, and value for businesses.
👉 Read the full blog: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-choose-certified-asset-disposal-provider-smart-buyers-2tdjf/
#ITAssetDisposal #ITAD #EwasteRecycling #ITAssetRecovery #DataDestruction #AssetRecovery #ECSEnvironment #ECS
IT Asset Recycling: A Beginner-Friendly Roadmap for Responsible Hardware Disposal
Beginner-friendly guide to IT Asset Recycling covering secure, eco-responsible hardware disposal, data protection, compliance, and value recovery.
👉 Read the full blog: https://www.ecsenvironment.com/it-asset-recycling-beginner-friendly-roadmap-for-responsible-hardware-disposal/
#ITAssetRecycling #ITAD #DataSecurity #SustainableIT #EwasteRecycling #GreenTechnology #Compliance #ResponsibleDisposal #ECSEnvironment #ECS
E-Waste Management Simplified: Responsible Recycling for a Greener Future
Learn simple, responsible e-waste management practices. Discover how proper recycling protects the environment and helps build a greener, sustainable future.
Read the full blog - https://www.ecsenvironment.com/e-waste-management-responsible-recycling-for-greener-future/
#EWasteManagement #EcoFriendly #EWasteAwareness #EWasteRecycling #ElectronicWaste #RecycleElectronics #EWasteSolutions #ECSEnvironment #ECS
The Future of E-Waste Recycling Services: Smarter, Greener, and More Secure in 2025
Discover how 2025 e-waste recycling services are becoming smarter, greener, and more secure with advanced tech, sustainable practices, and better data protection.
Read more: https://ecsenvironment.medium.com/future-of-e-waste-recycling-services-3d425b891faa
#Recycling #EWasteRecycling #SmartRecycling #EnvironmentalAwareness #SecureDisposal #EcoFriendly #ECSEnvironment #ECS
E-Waste Management Services in India: How Responsible Recycling is Powering a Sustainable Future
Discover why responsible e-waste recycling is essential in India, explore leading E-Waste Management Services, understand the key environmental and business benefits, and learn how organizations can actively support a more sustainable future.
🔗 Read more on our blog: https://www.ecsenvironment.com/e-waste-management-services-in-india/
#EWasteManagement #EWasteRecycling #EWasteAwareness #SustainableFuture #RecycleIndia #SafeDisposal #ECSEnvironment #ECS
India’s E-Waste Surge: Challenges, Impacts, and the Road to Sustainable Solutions
Understand the rise of electronic waste, its impact on health and the environment, and learn practical solutions for sustainable e-waste management.
🔗 Read more on our blog: https://www.ecsenvironment.com/indias-e-waste-surge-challenges-impacts-and-the-road-to-sustainable-solutions/
#EWaste #ElectronicWaste #EwasteRecycling #EcoFriendly #Recycling #EWasteManagement #ECSenvironment #ECS
BuySellRam is currently looking to purchase a large quantity of enterprise-grade server RAM modules, including:
DDR4 & DDR5 ECC Registered (RDIMM/LRDIMM), all brands.
If your company, data center, or ITAD partner has surplus or decommissioned memory inventory, we’re interested in bulk offers.
🔗 Learn more or contact us directly:
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-memory-ram/
#ServerMemory #DDR5 #ITAD #DataCenter #BuySellRam #MemoryModules #SustainableIT #DataCenterIT #Technology #EwasteRecycling #TechBuyBack
E-waste recycling: Why State intervention is essential for circular economy
India stands at a critical juncture in its journey towards sustainable development. As one of the world’s fastest-growing…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #AU #Australia #EwasteinIndia #EWasterecycling #Electronicwaste #Productlifecycles #Resourceefficentmodels #Science #TakeMakeDisposemodel
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/198842/
https://www.europesays.com/uk/483914/ E-waste recycling: Why State intervention is essential for circular economy #EWasteInIndia #EWasteRecycling #ElectronicWaste #Environment #ProductLifeCycles #ResourceEfficentModels #Science #TakeMakeDisposeModel #UK #UnitedKingdom
E-waste recycling: Why State intervention is essential for circular economy
India stands at a critical juncture in its journey towards sustainable development. As one of the world’s fastest-growing…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #CA #Canada #EwasteinIndia #EWasterecycling #electronicwaste #Productlifecycles #Resourceefficentmodels #Science #TakeMakeDisposemodel
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/198400/
IT Asset Disposal to Certified E‑Waste Management: Sustainable Solutions with ECS
Secure, compliant, and sustainable IT asset disposal with ECS Environment. Explore certified e-waste recycling and data destruction services for businesses.
#EwasteManagement #ITAssetDisposal #EwasteRecycling #SecureDisposal #DataDestruction #ECSEnvironment #ECS
E-Waste Management: How ECS Ensures Certified, Secure & Sustainable Disposal
Secure, sustainable, and certified e-waste management by ECS Environment—helping businesses and households dispose responsibly.
🔗 Read more our latest blog! - https://www.ecsenvironment.com/e-waste-management-how-ecs-ensures-certified-secure-sustainable-disposal/
#EWasteManagement #EcoFriendly #Recycle #EWaste #EWasteRecycling #ElectronicWaste #CertifiedDisposal #ECSEnvironment #ECS
If your data center has surplus SSD to sell, please feel free to contact us:
https://www.buysellram.com/sell-ssd-hard-drive/
#SellSSD #SSDResale #TechBuyback #ITAssetRecovery #DataCenterIT #EnterpriseSSD #DataCenterStorage #NVMe #StorageSolutions #ServerHardware
#SustainableTech #EwasteRecycling #CircularEconomy #ITRecycling
#SSD #DataCenter
We are buying high-end GPUs, which are used for AI computing, like A100, H100, H200, MI300, etc. Check this link: https://www.buysellram.com/sell-graphics-card-gpu/
#SellGPU #AIHardware #GPUBuyback #GPUBuyers #TechResale
#AIComputing #DataCenterGPUs #A100 #H100 #H200 #MI300
#ITAssetRecovery #EnterpriseGPUs #EwasteRecycling #Tech #GPU
Better ways to recover metals needed for technology from #ElectronicWaste could benefit the #environment and human health
Published: December 3, 2024
"As if our tech consumption hadn’t pushed demand for these metals through the roof in recent years, COVID also helped to make it worse. The pandemic drove sales of new electronics, contributing to more waste as old equipment became obsolete. The change to work-from-home/hybrid working saw more purchases of laptops and mobile phones. People also saw the pandemic as an opportunity to upgrade their televisions and games consoles.
"This has made it all the more important to recover the crucial materials we need from e-waste. One response has been from the Royal Mint, which has opened a recycling plant to recover 450kg of gold from 4,000 tonnes of e-waste per year – potentially enough for around 13 million phones. The average smartphone contains around 34mg of gold, which accounts for over 60% of the value of the metal-based parts of the phone per device.
"The Royal Mint initiative is an important milestone towards adopting a greener approach to metal recovery from discarded hardware. The mint is using an ambient temperature process, which means that precious metals can be recovered at room temperatures rather than being sent to smelters. The same process also allows for the selective recovery of other metals from the waste, such as palladium, silver, copper, iron, steel and aluminium.
Toxic methods
"The Royal Mint initiative is important because the recovery of technology-critical metals from recycled electronics typically employs much harsher conditions. Waste electronics generally first undergo what’s called pyrometallurgy, the extraction and purification of metals involving the application of heat in a smelter. This is done to liberate the metals from their casings.
"Further purification – both for the Royal Mint and other recovery processes – is carried out using methods collectively known as hydrometallurgy. This uses water-based solutions to recover purer forms of the metal, but also produces harmful waste: strong acids, such as sulphuric acid or nitric acid, as well as a group of chemicals called lixiviants, which can include cyanides, may be used to dissolve materials.
"Further treatment is required before these substances can be safely discharged back into the environment. Not doing so risks significant environmental impacts like the reported 'cancer villages' in China, which some have linked to factories and polluted waterways.
"Also environmentally troublesome is what’s known as artisanal, or small-scale, #mining – involving individuals, groups or co-operatives, rather than corporations. This accounts for 12%-15% of the global mined gold supply, accounting for around 2,000 tonnes per year.
"This mining occurs in over 70 different countries. The UN Environmental Programme estimates that artisanal and small-scale mining involve 10 to 15 million miners globally, including 4 to 5 million women and children.
"The cheapest and simplest method of extracting gold from ores, as well as from waste electronics, involves using mercury. This involves boiling off the mercury, releasing toxic mercury vapour into the environment. This can significantly reduce the life expectancies of people exposed to the resulting pollution, as well as causing significant damage to local water-sources and to soil.
"The opening of the metal recycling plant by the Royal Mint is therefore beneficial for various reasons besides being relatively environmentally friendly. It will lead to fewer toxic metals going to landfill that could potentially leach out into water supplies, and it will reduce our reliance on artisanal and small-scale mining for gold, reducing pollution and the risk to human health."
#EWaste #EWasteRecycling #ReduceReuseRecycle #PlannedObsolescence #RightToRepair #MakeThingsThatLast #SolarPunkSunday
16 places to responsibly dispose of old #electronics in #Philadelphia
When not properly recycled, #Ewaste can leach into the waterways — and we miss a chance to get more use out of precious materials.
Words by McKenzie Morgan
Nov 30, 2024
"For many Philadelphians, old #CellPhones, #laptops and other #electronics gather dust in drawers or boxes in the back of closets.
"When residents finally start to feel fed up with the clutter or during their annual spring cleanings, these devices are sometimes tossed into the trash or blue recycling bins. These forgotten electronics have become a part of a growing citywide e-waste problem.
"Philadelphia creates around 1.5 million tons of residential and commercial waste annually, according to government initiative SmartCityPHL. Electronics and textiles comprise about 10% of the city’s waste stream. The rest is sent to incinerators and landfills, bringing hazardous and resource-rich materials with it.
"But the good news is, there’s something residents can do about it.
"While giving up or not upgrading our devices isn’t always an option, getting them out of our curbside bins and landfills is. The Philadelphia metro region has over a dozen facilities where you can donate and properly recycle your e-waste, keeping them out of landfills and giving them new life.
Here’s a guide to places in the Philadelphia region to responsibly dispose of old electronics."
Read more:
https://technical.ly/civic-news/electronics-recycling-phone-computer-philadelphia-2/
#EWasteRecycling #SmartCityPHL #SolarPunkSunday #ReduceReuseRecycle #RecycleElectronics #RecycleCopper #ElectronicsRecycling
#OmniSource #ElectronicsRecycling encouraging community to "#Recycle With Kindness"
by Caitlynn Shipe Dec 2, 2024
#FortWayneIndiana (WFFT) — "OmniSource Electronics Recycling LLC is encouraging the community to 'Recycle With Kindness' this holiday season.
"From Dec. 9-13, the waste management company will host a free electronics recycling week for those who trade in essential item donations.
"'We believe in the power of giving back and supporting our local charities,' Jennifer Marbaugh, OmniSource Electronics Recycling marking representative, said. 'This holiday season, we are excited to make electronics recycling free, in exchange for our donors to contribute to those in need in our community.'
"The [donated] items such as non-perishable foods, hygiene products and cleaning supplies will be given to The Redemption House and The Rescue Mission."
#EWasteRecycling #CharityEvent #GiveBack #FoodDrive #Indiana
Next time you or your business/company needs to upgrade your desktop/laptop, buy refurbished; doing so will save money and the Earth.
Want your used #eWaste to find a second life? Check out CircleIt!
