The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that this year global spending on consumer electronics will surpass $1 trillion for the first time. For many, electronics are seen as necessities to help us be more productive and stay connected to family, friends, and business partners. In turn, this may explain why businesses are upgrading their old electronic equipment every six to twelve months as opposed to every few years as in the past. As a result of our spending habits reported, our unused electrics are dumped into landfills.

Each year, approximately 2.5 million tons of electronic waste (e- waste) ends up in landfills, and according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only 25 percent of this gets recycled. As demand for consumer electronics continue to rise, more and more e- waste will be sent to landfills, but thankfully various companies are now seeing e- waste as a business opportunity. This is where electronic recycle companies come into place.

The significant increase in e- waste has resulted in a rise in e- waste recyclers. Although, U.S. households account for the largest percentage of electronics in the market, these households only make up approximately 26 percent of the electronics recycling market. This means that if e- waste recyclers want to continue to expand their businesses, they can happily do so by being responsible in dropping off their unused electronics. This is where retailers play a role.

Currently 25 states have passed laws requiring waste to be recycled, and 23 of which require the manufacturer to take responsibility for safe disposal of their products. Therefore, there is opportunity for retail stores like Best Buy, Staples, Target, and Wal-Mart, which specifically already have consumer electronic take back programs, to capitalize on this added pressure by reducing the barriers for businesses to drop off their old electronics.

However, there are still local electronics recycle companies where you can drop off your end- of- life electric items, like with us here at NT Recycling. We want to get the most value out of your e- waste because there are still materials that can be used for new equipment. Please don’t hesitate to visit us, drop off your old electronic items with us or to schedule a pickup to rid away your e- waste. We are always happy to take that load off of your hands.