On Wednesday, February 21st, 2023, Reboot Tech, an e-waste disposal company based in Ontario, California, recently visited Hughes-Elizabeth-Lakes Union School in Elizabeth Lake, California. The point of this was to help the school with its electronic waste and to learn more about the general struggles schools face when dealing with old electronics they have no use for.

Schools everywhere around the world face this same issue of electronic surplus. This is largely because of the rate at which technology is evolving. Schools need the latest technology to teach their students and thrive, but since so much technology is coming in, the old ones get quickly left behind, and not many schools know how to properly deal with it.

Not to mention, the funds that come with it, and the stress of recycling laws that leave many schools unsure of what to do with their old electronic products.

Legislation varies from state to state, but there are always going to be certain standards that schools must reach or practices to follow in terms of recycling. It is very important to have these rules in place to keep our environment safe and clean.

However, certain struggles come with these regulations and it can quickly become stressful if the school doesn’t know what they’re doing, or are too busy and understaffed to be able to keep the regulations in check.

For example, in terms of solid waste management, Senate Bill 20 (SB-20) requires schools to separate their organic waste (this can include food scraps, yard trimmings, etc.) from regular trash and recyclables. Schools, especially ones with a lower budget, can struggle to implement new waste bins, and collection services, or even hire additional staff for sorting duties.

When we pile up e-waste, it can cause major problems for the environment, like pollution and the use of resources. Dumping it in landfills or burning it releases bad chemicals into the air, soil, and water, hurting ecosystems and animals. Working with certified e-waste disposal companies like Reboot Tech can help schools and universities reduce these risks and support sustainability.

It’s crucial for schools to recycle e-waste using a certified company, especially if they’re worried about keeping private information safe. Schools have a lot of sensitive data stored on devices, like student records and financial info. Deleting data properly ensures it stays safe and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, protecting privacy and keeping school records accurate.

According to a study done in 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences, children between the ages of birth and 5 have the greatest learning potential. This may seem like a short timeframe, but if this education can be done at any point during the K-12 process, it would be very beneficial.

This can be done by having seminars, and volunteer programs, putting it into the school curriculum, and normalizing a healthy mindset of solid waste recycling and creating more school recycling programs.

Reboot Tech’s visit to Hughes-Elizabeth-Lakes Union School shows how important it is for schools to manage e-waste properly. By dealing with the electronics overflow and encouraging good recycling habits, we can make the environment cleaner and healthier for kids in schools. Working together, we can make sure schools protect the environment and private information and bring new ideas to education.