Photo: iStock
By David Stidham, Operations Manager at Cenetric
Staying current with your devices means the old ones have to go somewhere — but where? If your answer has been “shoved in a closet” or “buried under stuff in the corner of my office,” read on.
There comes a time when your business needs to send a PC, laptop, phone, router or server out to pasture. If you don’t, you risk building up tech debt — dated devices that cost you more to maintain and keep running than something new would.
The problem is: Where’s that “pasture”? Where can you safely and responsibly dispose of electronic waste? And how can you make it as painless as possible? These are hot topics in tech circles since production of electronics is outpacing recycling by about 5x.
What if you don’t recycle your electronics?
The latest data indicates that, globally, we’re only disposing of 22.3% of electronic waste the right way. Getting that number up has benefits for us all:
- Electronic waste isn’t biodegradable, of course, so it stays around just about forever. Not only that, it leaches dangerous chemicals into our soil and water. Recycling reduces this harmful effect.
- When electronic waste is properly recycled, we can capture the valuable materials used to make them and reuse them instead of mining for new ones, which is getting harder.
- Recycling of electronic waste creates skilled jobs that benefit the economy.
Photo: iStock
How to recycle electronic waste (for free!) in Kansas City
In our community, we’re lucky to have a service called PCs for People that recycles business’ electronics for free — and they even pick it up. (Not in KC? They have nine other locations in metro areas across the country.)
The pros at PCs for People will securely recycle them so you don’t have to worry about your data being stolen. If some items can be reused they’ll do that instead — they assess, data-sanitize, and then refurbish certain devices and give them to nonprofits, families and individuals in need. Either way, the devices out of your hair and doing good in another form.
Cenetric can help you assess your technology, new or old
Whether you have a small IT team or none at all, you might need a fresh set of eyes on your technology assets to see if they’re the right fit for you. The pros at Cenetric can help you determine whether you’re getting the maximum value out of your devices.
If you are, we can make sure they’re all working together efficiently. If you’re not making the most of your tech, we can help you find the right new solutions for your business. And thanks to electronics recycling, that old stuff won’t pile up in corners or closets any longer.
Looking for IT support right here in Kansas City? Cenetric has the experience and availability you need to keep running smoothly 24/7. Tell us about your organization and we’ll be in touch to get started right away.