BoxQ Newsletter – May 2014

Most people nowadays are aware of what constitutes “e-waste” and (to varying degrees) the harm that is caused by improper disposal of such. They are also aware of some of the benefits that are derived from recycling old electronics.

Electronic products are made from valuable resources and highly engineered materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require energy to mine and manufacture them. Reusing and recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing virgin materials.

For example:

• Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 US homes in a year.
• One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the US.

Did the latter example surprise you?  Maybe not the basic concept, but the actual physical numbers involved?  If so, you are not alone.  It is one of the lesser-known facts about e-waste recycling, but another great reason to manage your e-waste responsibly.

Thank you for being responsible!

Regards,

The BoxQ crew