The Psychology of E-Waste Recycling

According to an article we read in the Huffington Post, only half of adults recycle. It goes on to say that the reasons behind this seeming lack of interest in recycling are varied, but that they all come down to one thing. Recycling is a behaviour, like going to the gym or flossing your teeth, and although we know it’s good for us (and the environment) it takes effort to make behaviours habits. At the end of the day, as humans we’re not always very good at doing the things that are best for us.

We wanted to dig a little deeper into some of the psychology behind why people don’t recycle and relate them to our industry.

It’s Not Accessible or Convenient:

If this is a factor for you and your team then the solution is simple. Look for a certified e-waste recycling provider that offers an end-to-end solution. A solution like this means the provider will come directly to you, secure your assets and data and take everything back to their facility to complete the process. All you have to do is make an appointment.

I’m Not Sure What Is Recyclable and What Isn’t:

We’ve created some fun infographics we will think help illustrate the do’s and don’ts of e-waste recycling:

I Don’t Believe It Can Make a Difference*:

This is that age old dilemma we have all faced at one point or another, ‘I’m only one person, or business, how big of an impact could my/our actions possibly have?’. The answer is, a BIG one:

• For every 10 000 tons of waste brought to a recycling facility, 36 jobs are created (vs. 6 jobs created when waste is taken to a traditional waste facility)
• It costs $30 on avg. to recycle vs. $50-$75 to send waste to landfills or incinerators
• Recycling 1lb. of steel saves enough energy to light a 60 watt light bulb for more than 24 hours
• Almost 40% of the world’s demand for copper is met using recycled material
• The gold extracted from one metric ton of electronic waste is equal to the amount extracted from 17 metric tons of gold ore
• Building a new computer from recycled materials consumes only 10% of the energy required to build the same computer from raw materials

In Conclusion...

Recycling matters. There are very real consequences to disposing electronic waste improperly and it’s clear that even very small actions can make a positive and lasting impact.

If your business or institution has old/inoperable electronics to clear out, our team would love to help you break the habit of throwing them away.

Let us know how we can help.