The e-waste problem

With the average lifespan of a computer now at just 2 years and the lifespan of a mobile phone even less have you ever wondered what happenens to all the old computers/mobile phones. worldwide sales of new computers last year was 183,000,000 so what does happen to all the old computers that are throw away? e-waste as it is known now makes up over 5% of the solid waste worldwide (about the same as plastic packaging) but much more hazardous. e waste is now growing at an alarming rate because people are upgrading there computers, mobile phones, televisions, audio equipment and printers more frequently that ever before. mobile phones and computers are causing the biggest problem because they are replaced most often. In Europe e-waste is increasing at 5% every year. Developing countries are also expected to triple there e-waste production over the next five years. Do any ATS members have any soloution,s to solve this growing enviromental problem.

Well said i must say,

Yes i have herd of this problem before and I was told there are small organizations left and right, recycling this e-waste products and making new "Frankenstine" products out of those.

I think that it should be buried. I guess its good to be concerned about the future of the planet and everything, but we dont live very long and when we're dead, we won't be worrying about pollution.

Originally posted by MrPink
I think that it should be buried. I guess its good to be concerned about the future of the planet and everything, but we dont live very long and when we're dead, we won't be worrying about pollution.

Hope that comment was a joke. XD

We won't, but our descendants will, and the last thing I'd want is to see is a generation taking the responsibilities of our apathy towards the environment.

For the sake of business and progress, we can't sacrifice the habitat of either.

Nearly every other week i get a plastic bag through my letterbox asking me for old clothes for charities. If someone can do the same for computers id give my old one away free of charge. This might be helpful in places like Africa.

Nearly everything in computers and cell phones is made from things that came out of the ground -- metal, oil, silicon, etc. When we throw them away they end up in a landfill, buried back in the ground. We are putting them back where they originally came from. In a few million years or so they will revert to their original state -- the ultimate in recycling!