The Role of Local Recycling in Reducing E-Waste Pollution Local electronic recycling programs help mitigate some of the environmental issues by recycling useful elements and preventing toxic elements from entering the environment. Recycling smartphones allows for the recovery of rare earth metals, while also reducing mining operations. Some electronic recycling programs will take any type of electronic recycling, while alkaline battery recycling can alleviate pollution and waste of resources. Using a local program allows electronic waste to be properly recycled for a cleaner, healthier environment.