E-waste is any electrical or electronic equipment at the end of its useful life. Here is how to recognise it and why it should not go in the general bin.
A simple definition
E-waste, or electronic waste, is equipment that runs on electricity or a battery and is no longer wanted, working or repairable. It covers far more than laptops and phones.
Common examples
- Computers, laptops, monitors, printers, servers and networking gear.
- Mobile phones, tablets, chargers, cables and power adapters.
- UPS units, batteries and power supplies.
- Office equipment such as photocopiers and shredders.
- Electrical appliances, motors, control panels and wiring.
Are batteries e-waste?
Yes. Batteries are handled as a separate stream because they can damage other materials and create fire risk in a mixed load. They should be kept apart from general waste and from metal scrap until they can be dealt with properly.
Why it should not go in the general bin
Electronic equipment contains materials that should not be released into ordinary landfill, and it also contains metals worth recovering. Sending it through a route that separates and processes these materials keeps hazardous parts out of the waste stream and returns usable metal to production.
Before you hand it over
- Note what you have, roughly how much, and whether items are working or damaged.
- Remove or wipe data from any device that stored information.
- Keep batteries and UPS units separate from other material.
Explore MRS Trading
