Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is one of the most significant waste management challenges of the last twenty years.
E-waste refers to any electronic device that becomes a waste item. This most often includes computers, phones, tablets, printers, and scanners. However, e-waste can encompass a much wider range of electronic items that are found in the office. And at the end of their useful life, it’s essential that they are dealt with in the most sustainable way.
Before disposing of them though, you should take every precaution to make sure they don’t become waste. Reducing electronic waste in your office helps to protect the environment from pollution and dumping. It also ensures that valuable materials can be reintroduced to the manufacturing process, saving virgin materials.
Therefore, here are 5 tips for reducing electronic waste in your Sydney office.
Maintain devices regularly
We’ve all experienced technical issues with our computers or phones before. Sometimes, these problems are so severe that we need to replace the items with brand-new ones. And much of the time, these issues could have been avoided with regular, professional maintenance. Unfortunately, at this point, it’s probably too little, too late.
This is why regular maintenance for your electronic devices is an absolute must. Seasoned IT gurus will be able to expertly clean your items, update software, prevent bugs and malicious programs, and replace any parts. This kind of attention extends the lifetime of the item, meaning you won’t need to replace it as frequently.
In turn, this eliminates waste that enters the rubbish and recycling stream.
Refurbish and sell secondhand
The great thing about quality computers, tablets, and phones, is that they can easily be refurbished and sold secondhand. Many large corporations already have policies like these in place, and they work very well. These systems give electronics a new lease on life, prevent waste, and offer affordable options to members of the public or other businesses.
The other obvious benefit is that you can recoup some of your initial investment, which is an excellent result for the business. This combination of financial recovery, prevention of waste, and opportunity for other businesses with less capital, makes refurbishing and selling your old computers and other electronics, a no-brainer.
Recycle components
There are a number of programs available to help you in your quest for a fantastic electronic waste management system. In fact, many retailers offer recovery programs just for this purpose and collect huge amounts of old e-waste every single year. The great thing about electronics is that they are highly recyclable.
Recycling programs for components allow these metals, plastics, and chemicals to be reused in the manufacturing process for new items. In essence, the ability to recover materials and use them again ‘closes the loop’, eliminating the need for virgin resources. This makes for much less (if any) waste items.
Carefully assess your needs
Does your business really need twenty brand-new iMacs? Or can you get by ably with ten, and keep using some of your existing machines? It’s questions like these that can go a long way toward eliminating electronic waste, and having a much better impact on the environment.
Working closely with your IT and management teams helps to identify the best course of action, and your needs. When you know exactly what your business needs, and where you need to stretch, you’ll be able to invest more intelligently. In the end, that also means less electronic waste down the track.
Purchase quality
When it comes to actually buying new electronics, you should always prioritise quality over price. Doing so helps to reduce your waste, and is also more cost-effective over the long term. For example, purchasing a quality computer tower for $1700 may sound like a large outlay. However, if this computer lasts ten years, that’s a fantastic result.
This kind of longevity means much less waste, because nothing from this computer is entering the waste/recycling stream for at least a decade. On the other hand, if you opt to purchase a tower for roughly $600, you may get three good years out of it before you encounter problems. Then, it will more expensive to repair, or replace.
Over time, it makes more sense to purchase reliable, well-built machines. This initial outlay is almost always justified, as cheaper computers will break down much sooner. The ratio then becomes roughly 2 to 3 cheap items to one quality item.
Purchase electronics that are more environmentally friendly
Technically, this step doesn’t exactly reduce e-waste, but it does contribute to a more sustainable workplace overall. And that’s exactly what we should all be striving for. Almost all your electronics will come with a star rating that indicates energy efficiency. If this doesn’t appear on the packaging, you can find the information online.
It’s also worth looking for details about how the items are made, and whether they use recycled parts. Many manufacturers do make use of recycled materials, because this is much easier to do with electronics, as opposed to other items. If you can purchase computers, air conditioners and other electronics that are made green, you’re doing well.
Office junk and e-waste removal in Sydney
At Sydney City Rubbish, we’re experts in office rubbish removal. We often deal with e-waste, ensuring that it is dealt with in the most sustainable way possible. If you’re looking for office junk and e-waste removal, get in touch with Sydney City Rubbish today.
