What to do about E-waste
Opoku is a Sophomore at Hoosier College and Career Academy in Indianapolis.
Millions of electronic devices are improperly discarded every year. This action is called electronic waste, commonly referred to as e-waste. It is extremely harmful, as e-waste is considered hazardous waste since it contains toxic chemicals like lead and mercury. When these toxic pollutants are spread, they can contaminate our air, land, and water.
These chemicals pose a serious risk to public health, and women and children are most vulnerable. Exposure to these toxic chemicals can cause irreversible damage to a person's health, especially a developing child’s respiratory system.
To counter the growing impacts of e-waste, it is important to properly recycle our old electronics. Here are two examples of companies in Indianapolis that do this work. Most cities have at least one recycling center, so next time you are getting rid of an old electronic device, find one nearest to you.
Technology Recyclers is a Veteran-owned company in Indianapolis that was formed in 2011. Their mission is to “save the Earth and the people in it.” At Technology Recyclers, most electronics and computer items can be dropped off for free, while TVs and monitors are taken at a price. They also offer free pickups for individuals, schools, and businesses, and they often hold community recycling events.
Sorting waste at RecycleForce; photo courtesy of RecycleForce.
RecycleForce is a non-profit organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Sherman Park area. Since 2006, RecycleForce has been combating e-waste while also providing jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals who are working to reenter society. RecycleForce accepts a list of things for free, excluding TVs, monitors, HVAC, and refrigerant-bearing items, which can carry a $20-$25 cost. Below is an interview with Gregg Keesling, the Founder of RecycleForce.
Opoku: What motivated you to start RecycleForce?
Keesling: I am an entrepreneur, that’s why I started this, that’s what I do.
Opoku: What were some early obstacles RecycleForce had to face?
Keesling: When you’re trying to help people to come home from prison, it’s hard for people to understand why you want to employ them, that was the biggest.
Opoku: What are some stats of RecycleForce accomplishments?
Keesling: Ten million lbs of electronic waste, employed over four thousand people coming home from prison; [Their] average wage is 18$ [per hour], only 12 percent go back to prison.
Opoku: How does it feel to play such a big role in rare earth element recovery?
Keesling: We’re still in the early stages of figuring this out. Instead of throwing it in the trash, we are making it into new stuff. So, we don’t have to go to the Congo. We’d rather recover it here. That is the role we’re playing.
Opoku: What are RecycleForce’s goals for this year?
Keesling: Keep people out of prison at 12 percent or less. Recycle at least 2 million pounds. Keep [up] our revenue; we make 7 million a year, and we want to keep it around that.
