The Problem Created by eWaste

At home, work, school, and even on airplanes, people love their computers. Millions of people surf the internet and send and receive email daily. To keep up with consumer expectations, computer manufacturers are constantly developing faster, smarter and cheaper machines. Industry experts say that a new generation of computer technology is born every 18 months, and users are looking for the latest software and hardware.

This rapid innovation in computer hardware is dramatically cutting the cost and useful life of modern computers, creating a national solid waste problem in the process. You may have heard about something called eWaste – old, obsolete electronics that are piling up at an alarming rate. In our consumer oriented society where it’s cheaper, and easier to throw it out in favor of the latest gadget, eWaste has become one of the fastest growing type of waste in our landfill sites with volumes growing at an alarming rate Computers are more than just clunky trash; they’re loaded with toxic substances like lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium that can leach into soil and contaminate groundwater..

How does this impact us and the environment?

According to a study commissioned by Environment Canada that was released in June 2003, we dump more than 140,000 tones of computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos and small home appliances into landfills each year. As stated on Environment Canada's website, "that's equivalent to the weight of about 28,000 adult African elephants or enough uncrushed electronic waste to fill up the Toronto Skydome every 15 years.

Old computer equipment such as monitors, keyboards, central processing units (CPU’s) printers, mice, etc.--must be specially managed since their printed circuit boards and cathode ray tubes (CRT’s) contain toxic metals. The amount of lead in CRT monitors (to protect the user from radiation) is usually about five pounds or 25 percent by weight. Circuit boards typically contain cadmium, mercury and chromium. The package is housed in brominated, flame-retardant plastic. These substances build up over time in the environment and in our bodies and have been shown to impair neurological developmental in children. Other materials like the toner in printers are proven carcinogens.

If this ticking toxic time-bomb is not handled properly today, it could contaminate the environment and cause health problems that will haunt us tomorrow.

The positive side recycling old electronics allows materials like steel, glass, copper, aluminum, plastic and precious metals to be extracted and reused reducing the need to mine for virgin materials.