Due to technological advances and the great reduction in production costs, electrical appliances are spreading rapidly, resulting in a rapid increase in the volume of their waste. Consequently, the most immediate and visible benefit of recycling appliances is the reduction in the volume of waste and the need for the creation of new landfills.
A particularly important benefit of recycling our electrical and electronic waste is that we avoid polluting the environment with hazardous substances contained in them when they are not properly managed at the end of their useful life. For example, a computer consists of many circuit boards and other components that contain metals such as copper, zinc, tin, lead or cadmium. These elements are not harmful to health or the environment when the computer is used in our daily lives. However, when we throw it in a landfill or into nature, the toxic metals it contains will be released.
By processing our electrical and electronic waste, recoverable materials such as metals, glass and plastic are recovered, which are reused in the production process. Therefore, recycling contributes to the reduction of industrial pollution, as it reduces the production of toxic gases and particles that pollute the atmosphere or industrial waste that pollutes water and soil. At the same time, by reducing production processes, energy is saved and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.
Furthermore, by recycling old electrical and electronic devices we contribute to the preservation of mineral wealth, a necessary condition for sustainable development and a viable future for future generations. In particular, recycling reduces the extraction of non-renewable natural resources, such as minerals and oil, thus avoiding environmental degradation.
In addition to protecting the environment, recycling electrical appliances results in many economic benefits for citizens. And as recycling expands, these become more important.
In particular, through the recycling of electrical appliances, the cost of collection and transportation to landfills is reduced.
Manufacturers who produce products largely from recycled materials have the ability to reduce the cost of producing their products, as they reduce their needs for raw materials and energy sources, equipment and facilities. In the long run, lower costs for the industry mean lower prices for consumers.
In addition, the development of recycling means an increase in jobs, which, especially for the electrical and electronic equipment recycling sector in our country, number more than 1,000.
At METECO we have been contributing to the recycling of electrical and electronic devices since 1977, contributing to the protection of the environment and the development of the local economy. We have invested significantly in systems and technologies for the collection, temporary storage and treatment of electrical and electronic equipment waste for its appropriate preparation for the casting stage and its return to the market stream as secondary raw materials for the metal industry.
