Lawton holds 4th annual e-waste recycling event

By C.A. Lawton | September 27, 2019
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Every year, The C.A. Lawton Co. likes to go above and beyond to help our big, beautiful planet. One of the ways we do that is through our annual e-waste recycling event, which was held in August for the fourth time.

It’s a day when employees can bring in electronics such as televisions, phones, laptops, air conditioning units, microwaves, and many other types of electronics as well as universal waste and confidential documents to be shredded. It’s free to employees and is paid for by Lawton to ensure this waste is recycled and disposed of properly. It benefits our employees and the environment.

In a blog on the Balance Small Business website, author Rick Leblanc (2019) references a report developed by the World Economic Forum that explains that e-waste is currently the most rapidly growing waste stream internationally. This conclusion is based on the estimation that 48.5 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2018 worldwide.

That’s why it’s so important to make it as easy as possible to recycle and properly dispose of electronics.

According to Conserve Energy Future, when electronics are recycled, they are disassembled, and parts are separated into those that can be reused and those that must be disposed of. The parts that cannot be recycled are shredded and processed into dust and disposed of sustainably. Recyclable components made of metal, glass, and plastic are sent to facilities for reuse.

As you can see, a lot of effort, time and energy go into this process. That’s why the best way to help with the problem of e-waste is to minimize our waste output as much as possible. That’s why reduce comes before reuse and recycle. However, because we all use technology, and it doesn’t last forever, programs like our e-waste recycling event can make a big impact.

According to Katherine Jungwirth, our sustainability expert at Lawton “We recycled and saved from the landfill 2,653 lbs. of e-waste, along with fluorescent tubes, batteries and confidential paper documents.”

We may be a small company, but we can have a big impact. Katherine also reminds everyone to “Please continue to recycle these items at local events near you.”

Together, we can reduce our waste and keep our planet a beautiful place.

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Works Cited

LeBlanc, R. (2019, June 25). Electronics Recycling and E-Waste. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/e-waste-and-the-importance-of-electronics-recycling-2877783

 (2016, December 25). What is E-waste Recycling and Process of Recycling Electronic Waste? Retrieved from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/e-waste-recycling-process.php