The real cost of technology by Reuben Cooper

The real cost of technology

It can be a short journey from the shop shelf to the rubbish heap.

REUBEN COOPER says we need to take a hard look at what we buy, and what we throw away.

Most people think they know what waste is. It’s the plastic bag your grapes come in. It’s the cardboard box your brand-new phone comes in, and the phone itself once it has no use to you. In New Zealand we discard 15.5 million tonnes of waste each year. 80,000 of those tonnes are e-waste, with lots of that containing toxic elements. E-waste, or electronic waste, is the common name for electronic devices at the end of their user life. Someone might discard their old phone that doesn’t receive updates anymore, or their old laptop when it’s too slow and takes a long time to boot up. Of the 80,000 tonnes of e-waste we produce in New Zealand, the best estimates suggest only 1600 tonnes, or less than two percent, is properly recycled. The only e-waste recycling initiative from the New Zealand government was in 2006 when the government put $750,000 towards the eDay event held in 40 different locations across the country. eDay abandoned eDay was a nationwide collection program for electronic waste which ran from 2006 to 2010. A total of 54 tonnes of e-waste was collected in the first year of operation and by 2009 this had risen to 946 tonnes. The event didn’t run in 2011 or any other years since, because the government stopped the funding. Organisations such as ewaste.org.nz offer e-waste recycling facilities. Ewaste.org.nz hosts many events around New Zealand where we can take our e-waste through a drive-through and their staff will remove the e-waste from your vehicle, and you can drive off. It’s simple and effective. Rich resource Electronic waste contains rich sources of raw materials that can be recovered and reused. The amount of precious metals contained within an electronic device’s waste is much richer than ores mined from the earth. For one thing, it is already mined and processed. As much as it contains precious metals, electronic waste also contains toxic materials such as lead, mercury, chromium, etc... Improper handling can not only pollute the environment but harm human health. Elimination strategy There are some strategies we can adopt to help reduce the amount of e-waste we produce. Follow these and make your carbon footprint smaller. 1. Be a good consumer. Do some research when you’re ready to purchase a new electronic device. Make sure it will do what you need it to now and in the future. Buy the best quality you can afford, ensuring it won’t break easily or become damaged shortly after you purchase it. Look for products likely to have a much longer lifespan so you won’t need to replace it within a few months, or even years. Companies like to manufacture products that don’t last very long so consumers must keep buying them which generates more revenue. Don’t get sucked in.

2. Repair and reuse as often as possible. If you just have some parts that are damaged or not working, like a broken screen or poor battery, try repairing or replacing these parts before buying a new device. If the device is beyond the point of being repaired, take it to an e-waste event or recycling center to properly recycle it. 3. If your device is still in good working order but no longer meeting your needs, consider giving it away or selling it. Websites such as TradeMe, Facebook Marketplace or SellMyCell are great places to list your unwanted products. You get to make some money while helping save the planet. E-waste is a problem that won’t go away anytime soon. It’s the fastest-growing waste stream on the planet. It may look better to have the newest phone, but all of us need to be conscious of our purchases and the disposal of electronic devices. It would also be great if the government came up with a new e-waste initiative sooner rather than later. ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ – Margaret Mead.