E-waste

The term e-waste is applied to all waste from or caused by electronics, which is often toxic waste. It is a major concern with respect to wireless technology and computers, which are readily discarded due to rapid technological change, low initial cost and planned obsolescence. Various solutions including recycling, re-use and the standardization of technologies for less rapid obsolecence are applied.
Types of e-waste: Appliances
IT equipment
entertainment equipment
telecommunications equipment
data, audio and video media
Disposal of computers, printers, scanners and other telecommunications equipment - called "e-waste" - has emerged as a major environmental issue.
E-waste contains toxic materials that can be hazardous if not managed properly. In particular, the lead oxide used in the cathode ray tubes (CRTs) of computer monitors is a concern because it is in a soluble form.
Proper recycling of the hazardous materials from computers is an important health and safety concern. However, computer waste also contains valuable parts and precious metals, such as gold and copper, which offer potential business opportunities. Manufacturers are trying to remove hazardous substances such as lead and mercury from computers. For example, the lead in solder will likely be phased out over the next five years. However, there are major challenges. Lead-free solders tend to be more brittle than the current lead-based solders used to glue components to motherboards. In addition, changing the solder requires the cooperation of all component manufacturers. Everything works together. If even one of the hundreds of components on a motherboard is dislodged, functioning of the computer is compromised.