THE COMPUTER WASTE PROBLEM
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that electronic goods, including computers and related materials, comprise approximately 2 million tons of waste on an annual basis in the United States. Indeed, according to California’s Integrated Waste Management Board, in excess of 6 million out-of-date computer monitors and other pieces of electronic equipment are stockpiled in homes in that state alone waiting for disposal. There is growing concern about disposal of these products, as many of them contain hazardous substances such as mercury, cadmium and lead.
