Recycling Technology

Recycling Technology

Collette LeManske

Almost every year companies like Apple, Samsung or Microsoft come out with new, better technology and people rush to the doors to get the better pieces of wires and glass to show off their status. Because this technology is always being sold and people are always wanting the newest version, that means we are constantly throwing away the old phones/computers/tablets, allowing our landfills to fill up with dangerous toxins and metal scraps that could have been disposed properly. These toxins, like methane, fill up our landfills and eventually escape into the environment which is extremely detrimental for the environment. There are many alternative options to getting rid of technology safely. Colorado has a plethora of recycling companies that will responsibly take care of unwanted tech. These companies ensure that you technology is cleared of all dangerous information and then they dismantle everything to use for spare parts or to give the recycling companies that will successfully reuse them.

  1. Genesis Recycling is a company located in Denver. They accept a variety of tech from phones to coffee machines to mainframes. The items that they deem useable you can also purchase from them if you go onto their website and request an item.
  2. DenverTech4All is a local E-recycling company that Arapahoe uses to get rid of their old tech. They reuse all the old tech and remake it into new computers and tablets for students that need them.
  3. Data Deconstruction is another closer to Englewood. There they take most tech, but they also destroy hard drives and sanitize digital media. They will give you a certificate of destruction with the serial number on the tech to assure you that everything was safely and effectively cleared from you phone, hard drive, or CD.
  4. Blue Star Recyclers is right near Downtown Denver that began in 2009. Their goal is to reduce the amount of electronics being left in landfills, while also providing jobs for those who have disabilities. So far they have offered 25 local jobs and have recycled over 10 million pounds of technology.
  5. Sustainability Recycling is a company that has a location in Arvada and Denver. After they dismantle all of the items they receive, they give them to recycling companies that make them into new items. They take anything “with a cord or battery”. Sustainability also provide jobs for people with disabilities
  6. Best Buy and Staples both take in old technology and recycle or reuse it. So far Best Buy has recycled over 1 billion pounds of technology, and Staples has recycled 40 million pounds.

The technology that we see as unusable or out of date should never be thrown in the trash. There are always alternative ways to dispose of or better yet reuse these items. If we make habit of giving tech to the proper companies to handle well we will be able to reduce the amount of toxins in our environment, making our future earth healthier.