Who is TronicsFix?
If you could reduce, reuse, recycle and still make money, would you take the opportunity? That’s what TronicsFix did. Steve Porter, the do-it-yourself (DIY) repair guy behind the TronicsFix channel, started his electronics repair business in his garage and eventually joined YouTube in 2015. He is one of the few electronics repair niche channels to showcase DIY, troubleshooting various hardware symptoms, soldering, and even swapping different parts from one game console to another. Best of all, he buys broken parts online, repairs them, and resells them online. Porter also runs his gaming console repair school online, where people can learn how to solder and repair their own broken consoles.
How cheap is it to buy TronicsFix’s repaired products? As of writing, TronicsFix listed three PS4s on eBay, with prices ranging from 159 to 175 USD, excluding shipping. Considering that a brand-new PS4 costs 279.99 USD at Target, it would be both an amazing deal for US consumers and a great way to conserve e-waste. Seeing how he sold more than 1800 items on his eBay, it is great to see TronicsFix helping out gamers while still helping the environment.
How serious of a threat is e-waste globally?
According to experts on Statista, “more than 50 million metric tons of [electronic waste] (e-waste) is generated globally every year.” They also claim that smaller types of equipment, like microwaves, vacuum cleaners, and kettles, are the largest contributors to e-waste produced.
One way to prevent e-waste is to reuse and refurbish. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends “reusing electronics [as it] extends product life spans and contributes to the source reduction of raw materials” as a way to maintain a sustainable method of managing electronics.
How is the e-waste situation in Canada?
Similarly, British Columbia recommends people recycle their electronics to “divert waste from your local landfills and help the environment.” Environmental damages can be prevented as electronic and chemical components can contaminate soil and water, leading to potential cancer and toxic hazards.
Despite the efforts, the latest study on Canadian e-waste looks grim. The University of Waterloo states that e-waste “has more than tripled in the last two decades, the equivalent of filling the [Canadian National] Tower 110 times and generating close to a million tons in 2020 alone.” They estimate that consumer habits and a growing population may contribute to the growth of e-waste. As the population grows, so do household appliances. On the other hand, this growth of e-waste means there is an opportunity to start a recycling business harvesting critical materials and helping reduce the risks of supply disruptions. Nevertheless, their study stressed the importance of improving the repairability, refurbishment, and other methods to extend the products’ life rather than “focusing solely on recycling and material recovery. In conclusion, I would like to suggest people give refurbished devices a try. Or better yet, consider following a DIY video on YouTube to repair a device yourself. It can be time-consuming, but it feels so rewarding when the device you’ve repaired just works. It helps the environment and supports repairers in continuing to recycle, reuse, and reduce e-waste.
