How many of us will wake up to a new gadget on Christmas Day? According to Amazon.co.uk, amongst the most popular items of their customer’s Wish Lists this Christmas are tablets and videogames. The Wish List research last year showed that many people in the UK were dreaming of unwrapping a new device this Christmas.
It’s no secret that the demand for electronic gadgets and gizmos is on the rise and as a consequence so too is e-waste. When it comes to mobile phones, the stats speak for themselves. According to recent figures, 76 percent of adults in Britain now own a smartphone. Out of the 32 million phones which are purchased annually in the UK, only 6 million are handed down. So what happens to the rest?
Like many electronic devices, our discarded handsets can end up in landfills. Though it’s not just the UK that’s guilty of rising e-waste levels. A 2015 study compiled by the United Nations University (NNU) found that in 2014 less than a sixth of the tens of millions of tonnes of e-waste gathered around the world failed to be properly recycled, reused or treated.
From television sets to mobile phones, a staggering 41.8 million tonnes of electronic and electrical waste was generated worldwide in 2014 and just 6.5 million tonnes of it was properly recycled. Whilst China and the United States were the biggest producers of e-waste, the UK was one of the largest generators of this type of waste per person, coming in fifth place behind Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Denmark.
Speaking of the report’s findings, David Malone, the UN under-secretary-general said the hazardous waste that electronic devices constitute of is like a “toxic mine” and it is essential it is handled with “extreme care.”
Overcoming the e-waste dilemma with Bamboo Distribution
Bamboo Distribution is actively involved in tackling the escalating problem of e-waste failing to be recycled in the correct manner and mounting landfills comprising of hazardous materials that is harmful to the environment.
Our comprehensive recycling operations involve a committed rework team processing electronic and electrical devices that are typically discarded as waste into a reusable item.
It is no secret that the best form of recycling is reuse and none more so than with handsets. By reusing, not only the device but also the parts associated with the device such as boxes and accessories, Bamboo Distribution is playing a vital role in reducing the amount of e-waste and other materials ending up in landfills and putting intense pressure on our environment.
Furthermore, by salvaging and reusing an item considered scrap, we offer our clients an increased return for their devices. It’s a win-win situation.
For more information on Bamboo Distribution’s rework operations and how recycling ‘scrap’ gadgets can help maximise revenues and give you peace of mind you are not contributing to escalating landfill waste, contact Bamboo Distribution today.
