Tech enthusiast sparks concern over worsening crisis: 'Tragedy in the making'

One user on the social platform X expressed their frustration with the amount of e-waste piling up and how little individuals recycle or are even aware of proper channels for doing so. 

In their post on X, user Shin Carmona (@ShinC8817) shared their frustration with the sheer volume of technology and gadgets that go to waste, calling it a "tech tragedy in the making."

E-waste is piling up, but recycling it isn't easy. Many just toss it out, unaware of the toxic fallout. Only a fraction gets recycled properly. We're drowning in gadgets, but can't find a way to turn them back into something usable. It's a tech tragedy in the making.

— Shin Carmona (@ShinC8817) August 16, 2025

Many simply toss e-waste out, unaware of the toxic fallout and environmental implications down the line. "Only a fraction gets recycled properly," Carmona said. "We're drowning in gadgets, but can't find a way to turn them back into something usable."

And the facts support this: Americans produce an average of 46 pounds of e-waste per year, which ends up leaching toxins into the environment.

Electronic waste, including old devices such as phones, laptops, and batteries, often contains volatile materials capable of leaking toxic substances into soil and water and depleting valuable resources — that could be recycled — through careless disposal.

Compared to more common forms of pollution such as plastic waste, e-waste is often an invisible threat that can leach into resources far beyond the landfill. It's also one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world; in 2022, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste was produced globally. 

If we don't recycle things like lithium batteries properly, it also results in more wasted labor and production costs to mine more lithium and produce more batteries. This leads to electronics and their components becoming increasingly costly for both consumers and the planet, as opposed to recycling or refurbishing them at a discount. 

Individuals with old electronics can also make money by selling their old gadgets to refurbishers or major brands such as Apple and Best Buy, which accept them for credit.

Commenters on the X post were in agreement about the wastefulness of these products.

"It's a mess for sure," said one user. "Feels like we just keep buying more while ignoring the old stuff, huh."

What do you usually do with your old electronics? Store them at home 📦 Donate them 🙏 Trade them for cash 🤝 Throw them away 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Just toss it all in a landfill," another joked. "Who needs to worry about the planet anyway, right?"

"Kinda feels like we're all just waiting for someone to care enough," one reasoned. "Like, what happens next?"

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.