“ Everyone can do their part to help reduce electronic waste. People should avoid, or at least postpone, purchasing new technologies until they truly require them. Whenever feasible, they can fix equipment rather than discarding them. Users can also trade or recycle their old gadgets before making a new purchase.”
Bojan Paduh – founder – Electronic Recycling Association
Believe it or not, the average American home has about 24 electronic items! Do you ever consider what happens when you’re done with these gadgets? Many obsolete electrical products accumulate dust. They end up in dumps or landfills when thrown away. Whenever e-waste is discharged into the environment, pollutants are released into the ground, contaminating the groundwater being used to supply homes and other structures.
When e-waste is merely kept, it poses no risk; but, when it is poorly handled and discarded, the substances it contains represent a significant risk. Not only does poor e-waste disposal allow hazardous chemicals to leak into the soil and groundwater, but it also wastes basic metals that may be recycled. As an informed citizen, we must take efforts to dispose of e-waste in an ecologically responsible manner.
Bojan steers “ Electronic trash will rapidly become one of the world’s fastest increasing waste streams, owing to recent technological advancements and an unending supply of new creative items produced every year. Donating your gadgets for reuse or recycling them at well-managed facilities helps to reduce the risks. Recycling also allows for the reclamation of dependable resources present in electronics, such as recyclable polymers and even gold.”
The Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) is a non-profit organization that was formed in 2004 in response to the rising problem of e-waste and the developing “digital divide.” For over 10 years, ERA has provided simple solutions to assist people and organizations in preventing the early destruction of operating equipment. ERA constantly supplies charity organizations with donated IT equipment while safely managing the retiring IT assets of organizations and people across Canada, with an emphasis on recovery, refurbishment, and reuse.
“ We are completely and sincerely focused on reducing unnecessary waste through effective management of retiring electronic and IT equipment. ”
Being ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified has helped ERA not only improve its environmental processes and procedures but has also allowed bigger organizations to partner up with them without worrying about credibility. The Electronic Recycling Association has a clear mission of reducing electronic waste through computer recycling, laptop recycling, and computer donation services. With depots throughout Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and all of Canada. ERA provides a great way to recycle electronic equipment safely and securely.
The catalyst to change- building a habit of recycling
We’ve been trained to recycle ever since we were children. We can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle by minimizing our trash and recycling or repurposing what we can. As a result, it may come as a surprise to find that not everyone supports recycling. That’s correct, some organizations are skeptical of recycling’s effectiveness because it takes some effort and storage space. To do away with this habit ERA promotes reusing and effective disposal of electronic waste by offering incentives.
“Unwanted electronic equipment may be difficult to manage, therefore we have established an association program that offers several advantages while making sure that appropriate disposal of electronic trash is available. Our members enjoy incentives that enhance their corporate social responsibility and corporate environmental responsibility profiles, in addition to price discounts and priority pickups.” quotes the founder
Bojan thinks that reusing before recycling is essential in minimizing computer hardware waste. ERA’s crew has safely reused hundreds of tons of machinery. Because not everything Bojan’s firm gets can be reused, ERA has worked with recognized recycling groups to handle equipment that has reached the end of its useful life.
One of the most significant barriers to reuse, according to studies, is the fear of data being retrieved from obsolete technology. When you use the ERA’s data destruction services, you can be certain that your information is safe and secure.
“ We have powerful data wiping and physical destruction capabilities, which we have used in collaboration with Canadian law enforcement authorities to raise awareness of the hazards connected with a lack of vigilance when it comes to personal computing equipment.”
How it all started- The history behind Electronic Recycling Association
As a child grows up, everything around them leaves an impact. Friends, instructors, and the things they see while they sit in front of the TV or Internet may all have a role to play. Habits have a significantly greater impact on your life than you may think. They are quite powerful. Our minds hold to them at the expense of everything else, even rational thought. Habits are essential in more ways than one. They become stronger and more automatic as time passes. This is a story of such impact. The positive impact that was created in Bojan’s life when he was given a computer. He shares,
“ An incident I experienced when I first went to Canada inspired me to create the Electronic Recycling Association. In 1996, my family and I immigrated from Croatia, but we were unable to carry anything with us. My family and I were members of a religious organization that gave me a computer shortly after we had settled in. This apparently insignificant present had a huge influence on my life. Armed with this priceless piece of technology, I began to study computer science, which provided me with instant access to knowledge and the capacity to accomplish outstanding school tasks.”
Bojan says that he formed the ERA because he saw a great need for better management of the waste created by electronics. The other reason he believes is that he knew, from personal experiences, how much a donated computer can mean to a family who can’t afford to purchase one. He is highly grateful to the people who gifted him that computer which has made all the difference.
“ I would like to personally thank you for your support. Your generosity has made a real difference, and I look forward with great excitement to the positive changes the ERA will continue to make in our communities and for our environment.”
A good digital citizen
Regular access to a personal computer is no longer considered a non-essential luxury. Simple fundamental tasks today need the use of a computer; applying for a job, doing schoolwork, getting in touch with relatives, or even searching up a bus route is impossible without one. To solve this issue, the Electronic Recycling Association has created a charity computer donation program. Becoming a member of the Electronic Recycling Association is a great way to highlight your commitment to giving back to the community while supporting environmentally friendly business practices, feels Bojan.
“ We collaborate with organizations all around the country to supply them with reconditioned gadgets to use in their programs. This provides them with dependable technology while allowing them to focus their resources on what they do best: creating programs to assist Canadians who are dealing with poverty, health issues, or other adversity. We are not associated with any specific charity since the ERA is an advocate for equality. Every year, the ERA donates critical computer equipment to hundreds of nonprofit groups.” explains the founder.
The founder believes that new possibilities start with a contribution: With an electronic contribution, one can repurpose their unwanted equipment while also supporting their local community. Electronic donations enable schools, charitable groups, and low-income families to receive equipment that they would not be able to buy otherwise.
Conclusion
When you submit your e-waste to an unlicensed garbage collector, you’re participating in the uncontrolled market system. These marketplaces try to remove metals from gadgets in order to resell them, but they may do it with fewer skills per metal and without the required safety requirements. The current global climate problem necessitates that the general public becomes more conscious of their buying habits and participate in responsible waste segregation and management techniques.
Someone else’s garbage is another person’s gold. Instead of throwing away electrical equipment, consider selling or donating them. Not only will you be decreasing trash, but you will also be assisting others. There are numerous things you can do yourself to protect the environment, but if you need assistance, aid is also accessible outside.
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