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Computers and
Electronics are becoming increasingly important in our day-to-day
lives. With rapid technological improvements, technology can become
obsolete very quickly. This constant process of creative
destruction, allows for new technologies to emerge and find its
place in the market place, while older technology simply cannot
provide the cutting edge needed to succeed in today’s world.
Municipal waste systems are over burdened with E-waste and are
looking for alternative solutions. E-waste should not go to
landfills because it contains harmful substances like:
• Lead in
cathode ray tubes and solder
• Mercury in
switches and housing
• Arsenic in
older cathode ray tubes
• Antimony
trioxide as flame retardant
•
Polybrominated flame retardants in plastic casings, cables, and
circuit boards
• Selenium in
circuit boards as power to supply rectifier
• Cadmium in
circuit boards and semiconductors
• Chromium in
steel as corrosion protection
• Cobalt in
steel for structural strength and magnetivity
These
substances can leach in to the ground over time and pollute the
ground water, rendering it unusable for our future
generations |