Electronic innovation is one of the most rapidly changing industries in history. Most new electronic devices will be outdated within one to two years or less. While it is exciting to own the latest devices, the older devices must be dealt with. Throwing them away is no longer an option due to shrinking landfill space and the environmental impact of discarded electronic devices. E-waste, as some have called it, amounts to 20-50 million tons of waste worldwide each year (that’s about 5% of all municipal solid waste).

The average cell phone life is 18 months. Device batteries are replaced more often when devices are used more often. Televisions are a unique problem due to the digital transition taking place in 2009. Many TV’s currently in use will become useless without additional equipment. Most electronic devices contain dangerous and somewhat valuable waste products such as lead, cadmium, bromine, mercury and plastics. The list of outdated electronics is long, but the solutions for recycling are increasing as well.

The first step in reducing e-waste is to re-sell working electronic devices. Although you may own the latest gadget, your older gadget may be useful to someone else. There are numerous web sites aimed at helping you sell most anything. Although a few dollars may not change your lifestyle, selling older electronics keeps them out of the landfill a bit longer.

When a device finally comes to the end of its life, there are responsible methods of disposal. Most electronic device manufacturers are posting web sites to facilitate the recycling of their devices. Check the manufacturer’s web site for details. In some cases, the original manufacturer will pay a small sum to reclaim the re-usable materials and safely dispose of the rest.

Non-rechargeable batteries are still practically impossible to recycle. The best option is to use only rechargeable batteries which can be recycled to recover the nickel and cadmium inside. When rechargeable batteries reach the end of their life, the manufacturers have arranged a recycling program on their web sites, or you can check the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) web site for a recycling location near you.

When turning in computers for recycling, there is something you need to do for your own personal security. Remove the hard drive and smash it to bits with a big hammer! In fact, if you sell a computer that you have previously used for personal affairs, you should remove the old hard drive, smash it and replace it with a new one (they are very inexpensive). The hard drive of your computer retains personal information, even when you re-format it. An expert hacker can recover your personal information and possibly use your identity for the wrong purpose.

Ultimately, every electronic device we consider throwing away can and should be recycled. A bit of research will reveal locations to recycle any device you are finished using. With just a little extra effort, we can reduce landfill waste and pollution.