1 of 2

Write now Article Tools

In the computer age electronic waste, old computers, televisions, cell phones, and other electronics are becoming a huge problem because they are filling up our landfills. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon estimate that are already 60 million PCs in our landfills. The National Safety Council believes that within the next five years 248 million computers will become obsolete1 and many of them will be destined for the landfill. Not only is the quantity of electronic waste a problem but the fact that it contains toxic materials. For example the lead in the cathode ray tube monitors and televisions are the largest source of lead in landfills.2 Printed circuit boards contain antimony, silver, chromium, zinc, and copper. All these elements will eventually leach into the ground. If the waste was incinerated instead it would emit noxious fumes including dioxins and furans.3

The next time you upgrade your computer, cell phone, or other electronic device don't throw them away but keep them or recycle them instead. If we do this it would take the pressure off the landfill and the environment. If you recycle beware that between 60 and 80 percent of it is shipped overseas to developing countries where according to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition only half is actually refurbished. 4 The rest of it is stripped for the semiprecious metal and in the process causing pollution.

However, recycling has only had moderate success. If recycling is going to become a widespread practice there needs to be more incentives for both manufacturer and consumers to do so. First of all more money needs to be spent on recycling centers instead of landfills and incinerators. The federal government needs to eliminate or at least lower the subsidies for mining. Then if we were paying the real cost of those materials recycling would be more economical. Governments could also ban computers and televisions from landfills like Massachusetts has. You could ban exports of this waste overseas as California has done.5 Public awareness needs to be raised so companies would be more apt to adopt some sort of recycling program. More than a dozen social and environmental groups have formed the Computer Take Back Campaign which calls for manufacturers of anything with a circuit board to make "extended producer responsibility"(EPR) part of their credo. This would shift the costs of collection and recycling from taxpayers and government to the companies. This might give them an incentive to make computers and other gadgets that last longer, that are made of reusable or recyclable materials, contain fewer toxins, and are shipped in less packaging.6

1. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 82, August 2005.
2. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 82, August 2005.
3. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 82, August 2005.
4. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 83, August 2005.
5. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 85, August 2005.
6. E-gad, Elizabeth Royte, Smithsonian, p. 86, August 2005.

For more information go to www.smithsonianmag.com

Learn more about this author, Erik Markusson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Recycling of waste produced by computers and electronics?
We want to hear your view. Write now!