In today's world, people are buying more and more electronic products than ever before. Newer, faster technology is being introduced every day, which results in constant upgrades of electronic equipment.  This means that the now-obsolete models of computers, mobile phones and gaming systems are discarded on a regular basis.  Electronic waste or e-waste is a term used to describe these now-undesirable electronic products.  

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• Many old electronic devices contain toxic substances that include lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride, and chromium.  When e-waste is tossed into landfills, these chemicals leach into the soil, polluting the ground and surface water as well as the air.

• Electronics are made of components that contain valuable raw materials.  Recycling old devices saves energy.  It also means that fewer raw materials need to be drawn from nature to create new devices.

• Reusing old devices prevents e-waste by keeping it out of landfills.  It also saves the resources used to recycle them.  Additionally, reusing electronics helps other, less fortunate people in your community.  So, take your old devices to be refurbished (if possible) and give them a new life.

• Finally, recycling saves the raw materials that can be repurposed by producing new devices.  As a result, energy is saved, and pollution is reduced.

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A lot of recyclable materials come from electronics.  As an example, for every million cell phones recycled, materials recovered include:

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• 35,000 pounds of copper

• 772 pounds of silver

• 75 pounds of gold

• 35 pounds of palladium