Electronic Waste
Oregonians dispose of millions of pounds of electronics every year. These products contain hazardous substances, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, that can harm our health and environment. Electronics also contain valuable materials, such as copper, gold and aluminum, that can be recycled and reused in new products.
Cell phones make up a large portion of this e-waste because of constant new purchases and planned obsolescence. While better than landfilling, there are still huge issues with recycling. Before your next upgrade check out iFixit’s Smartphone Repairability Scorecard. If you can replace the battery yourself, that phone will stick around a lot longer.