Rapid technological change encourages consumers to abandon their old consumer electronics products and
purchase the newest releases. This leaves a slew of discarded products and a lot of waste. An estimated two million
tons of electronic waste enter U.S. landfills each year, with only 10 percent being recycled. The National Safety Council
estimates that nearly 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years and mobile phones will be
discarded at a rate of 130 million per year. [1][2]
Improper disposal of electronics products that contain toxic materials can cause harmful environmental impacts.
Computer monitors and older television picture tubes can contain up to four pounds of lead. Other toxic materials
found in electronics products include chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc, and brominated flame
retardants. Reuse or recycling of electronics can lead to safe management of these hazardous materials when a product
reaches the end of its useful life.
Donating electronic items for reuse provides positive environmental and societal benefits. Reuse and refurbishing
electronics provides environmental benefits by preventing waste, extending useful life and keeping products from
entering the waste stream until a later time. Society benefits from donation because schools, nonprofit organizations,
and lower-income families are able to reap the benefits of computers and other electronics that they otherwise could
not afford.