Some Basics About Recycling and Disposing of E-Waste

This blog entry is intended as a basic introduction to electronic waste and why it should be recycled instead of disposed of. Q&As include:

1. What is e-waste?
2. How is e-waste classified?
3.  Why is e-waste potentially hazardous?
4. How do you recycle large quantities of e-waste?
5. What is a Certificate of Destruction & Recycling?
6. How does a business get a Certificate of Destruction & Recycling for e-waste?
7. Why should you donate or recycle electronics?
8. How should you prepare old electronics for recycling?
9. Where can you find help and advice for recycling unwanted electronics?

1. What is e-waste?

“E-waste” is the handle typically applied to end-of-life electronics such as out-of-fashion cell phones, geriatric computers, and kaput stereos—not to mention that humongous CRT monitor that’s languishing in the darkest corner of your garage.

Also included are laptops, smartphones, tablets, televisions, printers, gaming consoles, and household electronics like radios and DVD players.

You can also throw in (but not throw out) electronic components such as circuit boards, batteries, cables, and accessories, as well as larger appliances with electronic components.

2. How is e-waste classified?

Unfortunately, there’s no comprehensive federal legislation specifically targeting e-waste management. Instead, it’s left to provincial, municipal, and territorial governments to make up their own rules for domestic recycling & disposal, creating a complex regulatory framework that can be an impediment to doing business across provinces and territories—unless you get expert help! (See source.)

But generally, electronic devices are bifurcated as either hazardous or non-hazardous waste.

• Non-hazardous e-waste includes things like plastic computer casings, non-toxic cables, and basic electronic housings without hazardous components.
• Hazardous e-waste contains substances that are corrosive, ignitable, infectious, reactive, toxic, or potentially harmful to human health or the environment (see source).

As to the transportation of e-waste, per Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations, hazardous e-waste is classified into nine categories according to the types of risk it presents, with many electronic components falling into Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods (Class 9) (see source).

3. Why is e-waste potentially hazardous?

E-waste is rife with the stuff of Johnson & McLeod’s worst nightmares—stuff including brominated flame retardants, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc—only to name a few.

In fact, old CRT monitors and TV sets typically contain between 1.0 and 3.2 kilograms of lead. A larger CRT can hold up to 2.2 kgs of lead. Thus, it’s better to reuse or recycle e-waste than to let its constituent metals and chemicals wind up in an unprotected dump site.

4. How do you recycle large quantities of e-waste?

For small amounts of e-waste, most provinces have Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs where manufacturers take responsibility for collecting and recycling their products.

But recycling large quantities of e-waste requires working with a certified electronic waste recycler who can handle bulk processing safely and legally, including secure transportation, data wiping, component separation, and recovery of valuable materials like gold, silver, and rare earth elements.

That would be us.

(N.B. Businesses must obtain certificates of destruction & recycling to ensure compliance with provincial environmental regulations (see Q.5).

5. What is a Certificate of Destruction & Recycling?

Certificates of destruction & recycling serve as legal proof that electronic devices have been properly dismantled and that sensitive data has been securely wiped or destroyed according to industry standards like NIST or DoD protocols.

Certificates of destruction & recycling typically include details such as the types and quantities of equipment processed, the destruction methods used, serial numbers of devices, and confirmation of data sanitization.

They also demonstrate that materials have been processed in accordance with provincial environmental regulations, which vary across the country but generally align with international standards for responsible e-waste management.

6. How does a business get a Certificate of Destruction & Recycling for e-waste?

The most straightforward approach is to work with a certified electronic waste recycling company that provides such certificates as part of their services. In addition to the Certificate of Destruction & Recycling, the company should provide:

• Data destruction certificates (if applicable)
•  Inventory reports of processed items
•  Proof of environmentally responsible disposal

7. Why should you donate or recycle electronics?

Electronic products are made from wholly recyclable metals, plastics, glass, and other materials that require energy to mine and manufacture. Thus, donating or recycling consumer electronics (in lieu of disposal) conserves resources and lessens air and water pollution.

South of the border, the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that recycling one million laptops saves the equivalent amount of electricity used by 3,500+ homes in a year. And for every one million cell phones recycled, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium are recovered (see source).

(We might also mention here: instead of tossing an old laptop, you might consider having it revitalized with new software.)

8. How should you prepare old electronics for recycling?

Keep cables and accessories together with the main device. Don’t disassemble complex electronics yourself unless you know what you’re doing. Clean your electronics and package them securely.

You should also remove all personal data before recycling any device with storage capabilities, which isn’t as simple as just deleting files or emptying the trash. Instead:

• Perform a factory reset on phones, tablets, and other devices.
• Use data wiping software for computers and hard drives.
• Remember that simply pressing delete and emptying deleted items isn’t sufficient.
• For sensitive work devices, sanitize the device and any associated media.
• Remove or destroy storage devices (SD cards, USB drives) if they can’t be properly wiped.

Remove batteries when possible. And remember:

Lithium-ion batteries—ubiquitous in electronics—tend to catch fire when compressed (as in a garbage truck), so they should not be placed in household garbage or recycling bins. Instead, they should be recycled at a certified electronics recycler that accepts batteries.

9. Where can you find help and advice for recycling unwanted electronics?

Hazardous Waste Experts is your one-stop-shop for reliable, eco-friendly, and cost-efficient recycling of unwanted computers, laptops, monitors, televisions, cellular phones, and other e‑waste. We offer unmatched expertise providing safe, efficient, and compliant guidance for the disposal and recycling of all kinds of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes—electronic or otherwise.

Contact us today. Or call 866.430.9421.