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Let's talk about the elephant in the room; well, 1,000 elephants in the room, to be exact. That is the amount of e-waste Sunnking collected from businesses last year, more than 11 million lbs. With each employee using 4 devices to do their job, and technology expansion, it's not surprising that we are seeing so much.
Let's look at the TOP 5:
1. Printers
The workhorse of any company. They can be as big as a horse too, and it's never convenient when they decide to go. More and more companies are trying to go paperless but let's face it, it's nearly impossible. So until that becomes a reality, these bad boys will continue taking up premium space in your office and our top spot, with 1.6 million lbs recycled last year.
2. Computers
Depending on your company's size, it's a safe guess to say there could be hundreds of computers in use. Whether it's a desktop or laptop, it's the lifeline we as businesses rely on. Because computer processing power doubles roughly every two years, older computers are getting abandoned, contributing to us collecting 1 million lbs of computers from businesses last year. 98% of computer parts are recyclable, but some of these computers have yet to reach their end-of-life, and it's our job to renew, and restore, and get them back on the shelf.
3. Flat Panels
You might have a few at home, but your office has more. There are TVs in the lobby and every conference room, including flat panel monitors for desktops. When Flat panels reach their end of life, they must get separated from the screen components to get to the valuable commodities that can be recycled and reused. There are also small amounts of mercury in the bulbs that are used to light them, so keeping them out of the ecosystem is essential.
4. Computer peripherals
With each employee using at least 4 devices to do their job, imagine all the attachments and accessories that go with these devices. Look at your desk now and count how many items that are attached to your desktop or laptop. At the minimum, you have a mouse, keyboard, speakers, camera, external memory drive, headphones, and boundless cords that connect it all. These items are small, but when you think about the number of employees you work with - multiply that by 5 because that's about how many peripherals each person has. The smallest things can add up to a lot, more than half a million lbs to be exact.
5. Networking/Servers
Your business has at least 25 devices connected to the internet and each other. These networking devices must be capable of handling heavy traffic, and servers must keep up with all the data your company relies upon. These devices run constantly; sometimes, they can handle a marathon, sometimes only a 5k. Therefore upgrading might be sooner than later, which is why we collected over 1/2 a million lbs last year.
How we conduct business is evolving, and dependence on technology to keep up with the times only grows. Having the right sustainability plan for when these devices are no longer being used is vital and often required. It will only benefit your company, save you time and money, and secure your company's data and our ecosystem will thank you.
Be a better business and recycle responsibly.
