so, Where does your e-waste go?
The most common methods for disposing e-waste is the landfill, incineration, reusing & recycling, and exporting it to third world countries. Toxic chemicals in electronic products can leach into landfills over time or are released into the atmosphere, impacting nearby communities and the environment. The EPA reports that two million tons of electronic garbage ends up in American landfills every year, about six times as much as what gets recycled. The most recent of these methods though is exporting the e-waste to countries in Asia and Africa (despite international agreements) and it's usually those countries who have to deal with the problem. The problem is particularly severe in China, where it is believed that 70 percent of the world's e-waste ends up, even though the Chinese government has banned the importation of e-waste. Demand in Asia and Africa for electronic waste began to grow when scrap yards found they could extract precious metals such as copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold, during the recycling process/by burning the waste. When old electronics are burned, harsh and heavy chemicals and metals are released into the atmosphere. This creates a hazardous and damaging environment for all of us.
HOW CAN E-WASTE BE TREATED?
E-waste can be treated by electronics manufacturers stopping the use hazardous materials when safer alternatives currently exist. Support "cleaner" and greener companies who use less hazardous materials. Taking good care of your electronics helps too. You want to make your appliances last as long as possible to reduce waste! Recycle as many batteries and electronics as you can and choose recycling facilities you can trust.