Ahead of the game as usual, in 2006 the state of California made it illegal to throw any hazardous waste into garbage or recycling bins. This includes fluorescent tubes, anything containing lead (including children’s toys), and, of course, electronic equipment of all kinds, from cell phones to computer parts. Over the past few years, with increasingly rapid developments in technology and an ever-greater demand for better electronic devices, the problem of disposing of all of this electronic waste has been growing. Green Citizen, an e-waste recycling company, states that each year in the U.S., 400 million units of electronics are discarded, and that number is likely to grow. And not only do these electronic items get thrown out, most of them (50 to 80%) are shipped overseas, to China or India, so that people there have to deal with the toxins.
California’s new legislation, however, has sparked the creation and growth of several e-waste recycling plants. Now that demand for the disposal of electronics matches the demand for new and better electronics, the recycling industry has boomed, creating hundreds of new jobs and keeping a whole lot of waste out of rural China’s drinking water. The state government has also imposed a levy on the purchase of electronic equipment, which goes toward the collection and proper disposal of the units—and is partially refundable when you recycle your TV. The following video shows how one of these companies got its start, and what a lucrative business recycling now is!

See Also:
Planned Obsolescence vs. Corporate Accountability

The Greenest Computer May Be None At All

How To Deal With Old Computers

Many 'Recycled' Computers Go To Digital Dump

Photo fromEnvironmental Protection Agency