With all of the exciting revelations and technological innovations at CES, it’s easy to forget or just ignore the dark side of the electronics business. Every advancement, each improved interface or faster processor – signals many more devices becoming obsolete. As the life cycles of computers and smartphones seem to get shorter and shorter, the piles of electronic waste, or e-waste, get higher and higher.
An estimated 70% of heavy metals that end up in waste disposal sites are discarded electronics, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Some end up in landfills, while other old gadgets are sent to developing nations that harvest the metals – using methods that can pollute waterways.
Fortunately, that’s not the full story. Just ten miles from all that’s new and shiny at the CES convention center, a new $20 million plant is working to deal with all of the unwanted electronics in a way that is better for the environment. Most gadgets processes through the U.S. Micro Corp. plant and its sister plant in Atlanta are refurbished for reselling – the other 10% are broken down into basic elements to be sent to other plants for use.
By completely processing the electronics themselves, U.S. Micro Corp. helps assure the companies they serve that any leftover data on the devices won’t end up in the wrong hands. The company is currently pursuing accreditation for its e-waste recycling through the R-2 standard, and expects to process 1.5 million products this year.
(Via Huffington Post, Image via D’Arcy Norman)
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