A New Opportunity for Electronics Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling : In the past decade, technological advances in electronic data management and communications have spurred economic growth and improved people’s lives in countless ways. However, our growing dependence on electronic products both at home and in the workplace has given rise to a new environmental challenge: electronics waste. A recent study by EPA shows that electronics already make up approximately 1 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. Research completed in Europe shows that electronics waste is growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste. To the extent possible, electronics waste should be prevented, and older electronics should be reused and recycled.