We have been packing and tossing stuff for a few weeks now and this past Sunday we dropped our old computers and electronics off at the Union Square Electronic Waste Recycling Drop-Off Event by Lower East Side Ecology Center. It was sort of sad to see the old iMac go, but it had been in storage for 3 years. It is just insane to me that these machines become obsolete after a few short years considering how much they cost.
But we felt good in dropping them off to be recycled, because discarded computers and electronics are toxic hazardous waste! In addition to being the most toxic components of the waste stream, e-waste is also the fastest growing one. It is estimated that by the end of 2006, some 163,420 computers and T.V.'s became obsolete in the US... EVERYDAY!
It is estimated that 315 million computers will become obsolete in the United States and that they contain a total of more than 1.2 billion pounds of lead. About 40% of the heavy metals in landfills - including lead, mercury and cadmium - come from discarded electronic equipment. The negative health effects of lead are well known, but also consider this: just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making the fish unfit to eat.
Please drop all your electronics off to be recycled...you get a tax deduction to boot!
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