e-Waste

The Environmental Problem of the 21st Century

Discarded computers and other consumer electronics (called e-waste) are the fastest growing portion of our waste stream -- growing almost 3 times faster than our overall municipal waste stream. The 315 million or more computers that have or will become obsolete contain a total of more than 1.2 billion pounds of lead. About 40% of the heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, in landfills come from electronic equipment discards. The health effects of lead are well known, and just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making the fish unfit to eat.

Recycling computers isn't like recycling old cardboard. Less than 10% of discarded computers are currently recycled. What happens to the rest? Many older computers are either stored (in basements, garages, offices, closets and homes awaiting a decision) or increasingly tossed out with the trash out of ignorance of the hazards contained in them.

And what about the 10% that are recycled? One estimate is that 80% of collected e-waste is shipped overseas for dismantling under horrific conditions, poisoning the people, land, air, and water in China, India, Pakistan, and other nations. The Basal Action Network (www.ban.org) has documented this in the film “Exporting Harm”.

The extent of the e-waste problem in Whatcom County isn’t known, but if we follow the national trends, approximately 4,000 computers and televisions will be disposed of in 2004! ReLectronics wants to keep as much of this as possible out of landfills by ReUsing, ReBuilding, and ReCycling them.