A broken phone in the junk drawer, tangled cords behind the TV, or an outdated laptop can all sit around collecting dust, waiting to be thrown out. But they shouldn’t be placed in the trash or the curbside recycling bin.
Electronics need special handling, and tossing them away improperly can cause more harm than good.
Why is it important to recycle old electronics?
Electronic waste, or e-waste, can contain more than 1,000 toxic substances, including lead, mercury and cadmium. When electronics are thrown into the trash or dumped illegally, these hazardous materials can leach into soil and groundwater, posing risks to the environment and human health.
Recycling electronics also recovers valuable materials. Recycling 1 million laptops can save enough energy to power about 3,657 U.S. homes for a year and can recover valuable metals, keeping them out of landfills and reducing the need to mine new materials.
What does Akron accept in its curbside recycling program?
Akron residents in one-, two- and three-family homes receive weekly trash and recycling collection from the city. Items placed in curbside recycling carts should be loose and not bagged…