A recent report by the United Nations has suggested that the amount of electronic waste produced by Asian nations has increased by 63 per cent over the past five years. The rise is riding on the availability of gadgets for consumers at a low cost. As the income level has been rising in the continent, so has the accessibility to buy new products. But in most cases, these gadgets are of low cost, and people are inclined towards changing them on a frequent basis. This habit is leading to the generation of more and more e-waste.

What are the threats associated with e-waste?

Most electronic items consist of metal components like lead, zinc, copper, barium, etc., which are toxic in nature. These hazardous compounds contaminating the land, poisoning the air, and leaking into water bodies increase when gadgets and equipment are disposed of illegally.

Even if the e-waste is disposed of in a landfill, the water travels through it and picks up trace metals. The hazardous levels of the contaminated landfill water approach natural groundwater; it can be dangerous if it gets into any bodies of drinking water.

There are questions regarding how they safely dispose of these devices. By giving away their outdated technology to those who have the facilities to store and disassemble it sustainably, users may reduce the danger to the environment.

How to delete all the data from old gadgets before disposing?

Before recycling any old gadget, it is advised to remove the data altogether. The data can be anything from personal information, addresses, and credit data to business financial information. If data in electronic media is not properly removed, then any recovered data can be used for identity theft or the appropriation of fake bank accounts, credit products, or even insurance products.

To erase all data and applications from old hard drives in computers, tablets, and mobile phones, you can start by doing a full reset of the operating system.

For Android devices: Go to the Settings app > System > Advanced > Reset Options. Select the Factory Reset option to erase all the data.

For iOS devices: Go to the Settings app > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.

What are the best ways to discard old gadgets?

In order to safely and eco-friendly dispose of the waste from old gadgets, here are some of the techniques that you can use:

Give your e-waste to a certified e-waste recycler.

Sell off your outdated technology.

If not in use, donate your old gadgets.

Visit civic institutions to drop off your old gadgets.

Planning on selling, repairing, or refurbishing it first is a smart move.

Electronic gadgets are an important part of our lives, but they come with a flipside, which is e-waste. It is required to make sure to format your electronic devices before disposing of them in a proper manner, as the consequences of not doing so can be painful.