Recycling E-Waste - Expert Help by PC Magazine - The Diigo Meta page

• 24 Apr 07
  

  Wisely

  recycling

  • The waste that results from disposing of electronics such as computers and mobile phones, called e-waste, can be highly toxic. The United Nations Environmental Program estimates that, each year, 20 million to 50 million tons of e-waste is dumped into landfills around the world. That works out to about 4,000 tons per hour.
  • Almost every component is built with some kind of toxin. Computer circuit boards hold lead and cadmium. Monitors' cathode-ray tubes have lead, cadmium, phosphorus, and barium. In fact, a large CRT may contain as much as 4 to 8 pounds of lead. Even cables are bad for the environment, as they are sprayed with brominated flame retardants. Such chemicals can leach into the soil and groundwater.
  • The U.S. properly recycles only 10 percent of its e-waste.
  • Why not recycle that equipment or donate it to a nonprofit such as the National Christina Foundation?

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