Friday, January 27, 2012

Good morning,

Nearly two million tons of used electronics, including computers and televisions, are discarded each year. In addition, an estimated 128 million cell phones are retired from use annually, according to the EPA.

Electronics often contain useful materials such as precious metals, glass, and plastics that should be recovered rather than buried in a landfill. For example, precious metals are used in computer circuit boards and other electronic components, and of course glass and plastics are used for TV and computer monitors. Recycling these products reduces the need to mine the earth for raw materials.

Heavy metals and other materials such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and even PCBs found in many electronics can be harmful to the environment and our health if the products are not properly disposed.

The crisis continues to grow. Studies estimate that the number of obsolete computers in the United States will soon be as high as 315 to 680 million units.

So what to do about it?

Thanks for reading,

Your Living Green editor

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eCycle it! Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to an electronics recycling center. Reusing and recycling materials like copper, gold, and others saves natural resources and reduces mining and processing. eCycling also helps avoid land, air, and water pollution by capturing and reusing hazardous substances such as lead or chromium.