Technology has progressed to a point where most people do not even consider trying to fix a piece of electronic equipment that no longer functions properly. Many items have become much cheaper to dispose of than to have repaired. However, this has led to the amount of electronic waste found in local landfills becoming a growing concern.

There are components inside most electronic devices that contain lead and other materials known to be hazardous. When circuit boards are created, materials used to secure the components in place are composed of materials and compounds that can be hazardous if allowed to reach certain levels. Even small items, such as phones and used ink cartridges from printers can become a problem over time.

One solution to this problem is to recycle used electronics. Rather than replacing one’s computer whenever the next evolution is released, try simply upgrading. Most have slots in the mother board that are designed to accommodate plug in components. Many even allow one to expand the memory by simply plugging in a new chip.

If upgrading existing equipment is not feasible, one might consider donating it to charity. There are many families in the world that are not wealthy enough to afford the latest innovations in technology. However, there are organizations that collect donations of items and redistribute them among the needy. Others operate thrift stores where individuals can obtain gently used items for a fraction of the retail cost.

For businesses, disposing of used equipment may not be the best option anyway. Trying to replace equipment, such as printers, every time an item fails to operate can become prohibitively expensive. Oddly enough, most electronic items, including printers, have very few moving parts to break down. Many of these are of relatively simple design and easily fixed by a knowledgeable technician.

Often, printers fail to operate properly because of software issues or failure to communicate with computers or networks to which they are connected. These problems are a bit more difficult to track down and fix, but most business printers are much too costly to just throw out. Fortunately, there is help available for businesses and individuals who want to limit the amount of electronic waste they send to landfills.

Printer repair is a simple expedient that can help to reduce waste of one of the shortest lived pieces of electronic equipment. Printers tend to fail more often than other items because they do have moving parts that can break.