Recycling Old Stuff, One Cable at a Time
Participating in workshops through the Reuseum Educational, many people know the classes and events Reuseum puts up in order to support STEM education throughout the community, but little do people know the mountains of printers, TVs, computers, and more Reuseum gets every year. Through an intricate system of sorting, dismantling, and reusing, Reuseum recycles, on average, 250,000 pounds of e-waste every year!
E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to discarded electronic devices that are no longer used or wanted. These devices can include computers, laptops, phones, tablets, televisions, and other electronic equipment. As technology continues to advance, the amount of e-waste being generated increases at a rapid pace.
In Idaho, e-waste is a growing problem. According to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho residents generate approximately 22 pounds of e-waste per person each year. This amounts to a total of over 18 million pounds of e-waste in the state.
One of the main challenges with e-waste is that it often contains hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can be harmful to both human health and the environment if not properly managed. In addition, e-waste can take up valuable space in landfills, where it can remain for hundreds of years.
With the continuous support of the community, we hope to continue to do our part in removing e-waste from the environment, all the while encouraging new generations to become more interested in STEM education! For those who want more information on hazardous material and where to properly dispose of it, follow the link to the City of Boise’s website where they list valuable information about disposal, various contact phone numbers, and an updated calendar which lists the locations where one could drop-off their hazardous materials.