Table of Contents
Introduction
Computer Disposal Process
Dumpster
Recycling Centers
Take-Back Programs
Implications
Appendix A: Certified e-Sewards Recyclers
Appendix B: Take-Back Programs
Appendix C: Composition of PCs
Appendix D: Which Body of Certification to Go To?
References
Introduction
The following report covers the components that make up a computer, how these components are
disposed of, and available disposal options on the University of South Florida campus and the Tampa Bay
metropolitan area. This paper will also discuss available recycling options. The University of South
Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities, spanning four campuses and serving
over 45,000 students (USF, 2011). With every building on campus comes dozens, even hundreds of
computers, not including personal electronics owned by students and faculty. As a main source of
electronic waste, where do all of these computers go?
A computer system is made up of many different
components including a monitor, mouse, keyboard
and CPU (computer processing unit) (see Figure 1).
These components are made from a variety of
valuable resources (see Figure 2, page 3) and
“highly engineered materials” (NatGeo), including
metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require
energy to mine and manufacture.
Figure 1: Breakdown of Computer Components. Adapted
from information found in Appendix C.
For ease of comprehension, we narrowed the scope further and contacted Dedra Hickman, Academic
Services Administrator for USF’s English Department. Hickman provided more insight into the
process computers undergo on the USF Tampa campus.
The average life span for these computers on the Tampa campus is three years. The English Department
purchases new computers for the department’s lab in Cooper Hall, room 202. The computers remain in
the classroom for two years. Then, as head of departmental electronics, Hickman moves the units to the
offices of various advisors, adjuncts, and professors in order to utilize the remaining year of usability.
Once the computers are deemed non-functioning (around the three year mark), USF Information
Technology steps in, picks up the computers, and salvages any parts they can use for repairs (Hickman,
2011).
The office of Information Technology is where our research came to a halt. Two members of our team
visited the offices in person and were provided with the phone numbers of individuals that we were told
might be able to answer our questions. After leaving voicemails and emails, our questions remained either
ignored or unanswered. So we were forced to shift our focus to the broader public and ask, “What is a
member of the University community supposed to do with their computer waste?” Members of USF and
the Tampa Bay community have several options when it comes to disposing of a computer and its parts.
Those options include throwing your computer in a dumpster on or off campus, taking it to an off campus
recycling center, returning it through a computer company’s take-back program, or refurbishing it. The
figure below illustrates the processes that follow the disposal of computer waste. In the pages following
the figure below, we discuss these processes in greater detail.
Computer Disposal Process
As the photo in Image 2 below indicates, the dumpsters on the
University of South Florida Tampa campus have labels that indicate
what is and what is not allowed to be placed inside. In an interview
with Talonja, an online representative from the national company,
Waste
Management
Inc., image 1: Dumpster at landfill.
(WMI) we were told the (http://www.stlouiscountymn.gov)
company will not pick up a dumpster on trash day if the driver
sees hazardous or prohibited waste in the dumpster. If the worker
image 2: Dumpster at USF courtesy of
Tiffany Kohen
does not identify hazardous waste, he will commence with the
pickup and proceed to the landfill.
Landfills
For every new computer a consumer buys, another old computer will need to be disposed of. In 2000
alone, more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste entered landfills in the United States
(Mayfield, 2003). Once in a landfill, the computer can be left to break down
naturally, which leads to leaching into the environment which pollutes the earth and
groundwater, or it can be placed into an incinerator and burned. After the trash
containing the computer is burned, the ash goes back to the landfill. When burning, the gas is captured in
an exhaust scrubber and routed back into the treatment plant and/or into the atmosphere (Bryson, 2009).
Recycling Centers
Electronic waste can be taken directly to recycling centers, or the consumer can call the company and
arrange for the equipment to be picked up. Some recycling companies provide special containers for
computers, which the company will then collect.
The Recycling Process
Recycling a computer and its components involves breaking down the individual parts. “Circuit boards
are eventually [shredded] and smelted. The gases from this process are captured and the resulting metals;
lead, tin, gold, and palladium are sold as commodities. Plastics are grouped by and
baled by color and sold to plastics recyclers. Steel is sold to a local metal recycle.
Other components from electronics are separated and sold as commodities to
various recyclers” (Recycleworks). “Lead from batteries and CRT’s (cathode ray
tubes) is separated. CRT glass is then cut and the leaded glass is separated from the clean glass. The clean
glass is then sent to a processor and crushed into a cullet, which is made back into a new CRT. The lead is
recycled for other uses, or it can be incinerated or burned (Recycling Secrets).
Transboundary Exportation of E-Waste
It is important to note that not all recycling companies are equal. Some recycling companies do not
actually recycle, they take the collected e-waste and dump it in a landfill. Some companies sell their
collected waste to transporters who ship the waste overseas to be dismantled in places like China, Ghana,
India, and other developing countries (NatGeo). The dismantling process in these countries is often
performed unsafely for both the environment and the workers (Wikipedia).
Accreditation
It is the consumer’s responsibility to ensure that the company they choose to receive their waste has been
certified by e-Stewardsor the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). By ensuring that the
waste recycler holds the appropriate accreditatin, we can reduce the amount of computer waste that ends
up in landfills (See Appendix D for more information on electronics recycling standards). Computer
waste often finds its way, usually by illegal means, to places like China, Ghana, and other developing
countries, where it is handled unsafely, both for the human worker and for the environment. (See
Appendix A for a list of Florida’s certified e-Stewards.)
Several companies participate in a take-back program. As part of this program, companies like Dell,
Sony, and LG will either refurbish the collected computer to be donated or they will recycle them.
Refurbishing
When companies refurbish computers obtained through the take-back programs the first thing they do is
inspect the components for overall condition. They then replace any broken or old parts; reformat or
replace the hard drive; reinstall the operating system, and ensure that all of the components, such as audio,
video and USB drives, are functioning properly (eHow). The refurbished computers can then be donated
or resold. Consumers also have the option of refurbishing the computer themselves and reselling it
through online sites such as eBay or Craigslist. Refurbishing also makes computers more affordable,
which provides the disadvantaged within our community with equal access to digital information.
Recycling
Both Sony and LG products can be dropped off at any WMI eCycling Drop-Off Center for free, except
where mandated by law that a fee be imposed.LG will also take back any products made by other
companies, like eMachines or Apple, for no fee. Non-functioning computers are sent to recyclers to be
dismantled, and their components reused. Some of these companies like Acer export the returned
computers to developing nations, so it is important for you to understand your comapany’s recycling
policy before participating in their take-back program.
Donating
Through Dell’s take-back program and a partnership with Goodwill, a donation may be made through
Goodwill’s Reconnect Program. If a consumer drops off any brand except Dell at a Goodwill collection
site, he or she is charged $10 to take the item. Rather than participate in a company’s take-back program,
a consumer has the option to donate items directly to places like schools, churches, and charities. They
can also contact organizations such as National Cristina Foundation or the World Computer Exchange to
donate their old, functioning electronics.
Image 3: Courtesy of Goodwill
Implications
According to the numerous sources we consulted, the advantages of responsibly disposing of computer
waste are numerous and beneficial to human health, to the health of our environment, and even to our
national economy. Recycling promotes better management of hazardous substances, increased resource
efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, increased income generation, and enhancement of
investments into social and environmental standards (Manhart). Recycling computers also prevents
valuable materials from going into what is referred to as the “waste stream” or the path an item follows
from creation to disposal.
Reusing and recycling computers conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as
well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused when we remove new materials from the earth.
Moreover, recycling components from obsolete equipment prevents mining of new resources such as
gold, lead, and copper. “In theory, recycling gold from old computer motherboards is far more efficient
and less environmentally destructive than ripping it from the earth, often by surface-mining that imperils
pristine rain forests (NatGeo).” Furthermore, hard-rock mining of copper, silver, gold, and other materials
extracted from electronics is considered far more environmentally damaging than the recycling of those
materials (Electronic Waste, 2011).
Mining these materials requires an enormous amount of energy. The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) reports that if we were to recycle one million laptops we could save the energy equivalent to the
electricity used by nearly 4,000 U.S. homes in a year. They go on to say that “one metric ton of circuit
boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined
from one metric ton of ore in the U.S.” (EPA General Info.). From this information we can conclude that
not only does recycling electronic components recover valuable materials, but by doing so, we reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, reduce pollution, save energy, and save resources by extracting fewer raw
materials from the earth.
According to National Geographic Magazine, recycling computers benefits our environment by
preventing less ‘stuff’ from being dumped in our landfills. The authors maintain that in the United States
“it is estimated that more than 70% of discarded computers and monitors end up in landfills.” This, in
turn, means that when we keep e-waste out of our landfills, we eliminate the degradation that occurs and
the leaching of chemicals into our land, air, and water, which can be harmful to plants, animals, and
humans. Choosing to keep recyclable computers inside the United States also prevents exploitation and
contamination of developing countries and their peoples such as India, Africa, China, Thailand, and
Pakistan. In many of these countries people work in unsafe conditions, burning rubber to retrieve copper
wire or burning circuit boards to retrieve gold and lead, which produces toxic fumes (See NatGeo).
Demanufacturing electronic equipment in this manner is harmful to both the worker and the environment.
Closer to home, many jobs could be saved or created when we choose to recycle our electronic waste;
and, not only recycle it, but do so here in the United States (See Image 4). According to the EPA’s
Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship, when we export used products, we are also exporting
recycling and repair jobs that could be held by U.S. workers. “Increasing the capacity to carry out
recycling, refurbishing, and remanufacturing activities in the U.S. could generate opportunities for U.S.based green jobs, and increase exports of remanufactured electronic goods. According to Rep. Gene
Green (TX), “many responsible recyclers in the U.S. operate under-capacity, undercut by brokers
exporting e-waste to developing nations” where it is handled unsafely.
It is important to remember that an older computer does not always need to be thrown away. Donating an
older, but usable, computer provides a valuable resource to the disadvantaged in the community and
“donating used electronics for reuse extends the lives of valuable products (EPA General Info).” A slower
computer or one with software that is just a few years old is not an obsolete computer. A person with no
computer at all and no financial resources to purchase one would be grateful to have such a machine.
First, understand the damage caused to humans and our environment by improperly disposing of
hazardous waste materials like computers and their accompanying components. And then, when you have
an electronic item to dispose of, do so responsibly. Donate it to a charity or give it to a certified recycler.
Some of the problems caused by the mismanagement of used electronics create an opportunity for
individuals, communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, local governments,
states, tribal nations, and the Federal Government to work together toward becoming better stewards of
the global environment (EPA Taskforce). In addition, it is important to know what your local and federal
government agencies are doing to promote responsible waste disposal. For instance, in an effort to
encourage responsible e-stewardship, House Representatives Gene Green (TX) and Mike Thompson (CA)
have introduced the “Responsible Electronics Disposal Act” (HR 2284, 2011), which is a bill that would
restrict transborder (across national boundaries) exportation of certain types of electronic waste from the
United States.
Other attempts by the U. S. government to encourage responsible behavior with regards to manufacturing
and demanufacturing computers, comes from a task force created by the Obama administration. Called a
“National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship”, the task force is intended to “lay the groundwork for
improving the design of electronic products and enhancing our management of used or discarded
electronics (EPA General Info.).” You can also support local, federal, and international efforts to create
laws that protect the peoples and the environments of the world. In the United States, you can contact
your local, state, and federal representatives to request that they initiate legislation that makes it illegal to
dump e-waste or to illegally transport it out of the country. Internationally, you can become familiar with
groups like the Basil Action Network (BAN), which calls itself “the world’s only organization focused on
confronting the global environmental injustice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade (toxic wastes,
products and technologies) and its devastating impacts.” Finally, you can spread the word that it is not
appropriate to dispose of used electronic equipment by tossing it into your household trash. Consumers
have alternatives to throwing old computers in a dumpster. They can be recycled, returned through a take
back program, or refurbished.
Appendix A
CERTIFIED E-STEWARD RECYCLERS
Appendix B
Company
Acer
Takeback Program Summary
Acer has only recently launched a takeback program for the Acer brand. You mail back your old
product to them. They may charge $15 to $40 for shipping. But Acer does not have a policy against
exporting toxic e-waste to developing nations. Therefore, we recommend that you do not use the
Acer takeback program until they toughen their export policies.
Gateway and eMachines (acquired by Acer) will recycle their brands using the Dealtree trade-in
program mailback. If your item has no trade in value, they will recycle it for free if it’s a Gateway,
Gateway 2000, or eMachine.
Apple
Computers. Apple has recently launched in a trade in program for working computers – MACs or
PCs, either desktop or notebooks. If your computer has any reuse value, send it to them, and they
will send you an Apple gift card for that value. If the computer is not working, they will recycle it
for free if it’s an Apple, or if you are buying a new Apple computer system. Otherwise it will cost
$30 to use their service for recycling PC computers and monitors.
iPods and iPhones. They accept iPods for recycling in their stores (and you get a 10% discount
towards a new one). Or you can mail back iPods and cell phones (any maker) for free.
Residents of Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virgina may recycle their Apple
or NeXT computers/monitors/mice/keyboards by filling out the request form to receive free
shipping, because of laws passed in those states.
Best Buy
Best Buy has been the leading retailer in the U.S. for electronics takeback programs. Best Buy’s
house brands (ones they manufacture) are Insignia, Dynex, and VPR Matrix. Best Buy will take
back those brands of electronics for free at any Best Buy store. They will also take back other
brands’ electronic products, mostly for free, but TV recycling costs $10.
Dell
Dell takes back anything with Dell’s name on it for free, via it’s mailback program (free shipping).
But most consumers won’t use mail back programs. Unlike most other computer companies, Dell
has augmented its mailback program by offering an extensive network of collection sites in many
states, via partnerships with Staples and Goodwills in many states. Dell has been a leading
company in expanding its takeback collection network each year.
Staples: You can drop off Dell computers, monitors, laptops, printers, and faxes for free, or other
brands for $10.
Dell also partners with Goodwill in many cities, accepting used computer equipment under their
Reconnect program.
Company
Funai
Takeback Program Summary
Funai is a Japanese company which now makes TVs for Philips in the US. They own other brands
including Sylvania and Emerson. They have no takeback program.
Goldstar
For GoldStar TV recycling, see LG (which owns GoldStar).
Hitachi
Hitachi has no voluntary takeback program.
HP
HP has a buy-back program for old electronic products, which they hope to resell or use for parts.
You can use their online calculator to see if your products (any brand) have value. If they do, you
ship them for free, and HP will send you a check. If not, they will recycle HP and Compaq branded
products for free, and other brands for a fee, but either way, you pay the shipping.
They also offer free recycling (and free mailback) of used toner or inkjet cartridges.
JVC
JVC has no voluntary takeback program. They do provide takeback in states whose laws require it.
Lenovo
Lenovo has a free mail back recycling program for Lenovo equipment, including free shipping.
LG
LG’s program includes takeback of Zenith and GoldStar TVs. To recycle an LG, Zenith or
GoldStar TV for free, you must drop off products at LG’s designated collection sites.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi now participates in the MRM recycling system. To recycle a Mistubishi TV for free,
you must drop it off at an MRM collection site.
Panasonic
Recycle Panasonic Toughbooks using their mail back program.
To recycle Panasonic TVs or other Panasonic consumer electronics for free, you must take them to
one of the collection sites operated by the MRM recycling program. (Panasonic owns MRM along
with Sharp and Toshiba.)
Philips
Philips has no voluntary takeback program.
Samsung
Consumer electronics – Televisions, Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Home Theater, Blu-ray and
DVD players, printers, monitors, notebooks. To recycle Samsung TVs and other items listed above
for free, you must take them to one of Samsung’s recycling locations. Monitors and printers can
also be mailed back to Samsung.
Sharp
To recycle Sharp TVs and other Sharp consumer electronics for free, you must take them to one of
the collection sites operated by the MRM recycling program. (Sharp owns MRM along with
Panasonic and Toshiba.)
Sony
Small electronics collection: Sony has installed “GreenFill” collection boxes in retail stores across
the country, where you can take your small electronics (any brand, not just Sony) for free recycling.
They accept cameras, camcorders, cordless phones, cell phones, PDAs, game devices, digital
picture frames, GPS, recorders and microphones, small laptops, alarm clocks and small audio,
rechargeable batteries.
TVs and large electronics collection: To recycle Sony TVs and other large electronics, you must
take them to a Sony product drop off sites around the country. Sony will take back its own branded
products for free (and other brands for a fee) at these locations.
Company
Takeback Program Summary
Residents of TX, WV, OK, RI, VA – Sony offers mail back computer recycling in some states,
which require manufacturer takeback programs by law.
Target
Target makes its own house brand of electronics, but Target has no takeback program for those
products. (This is disappointing, as both Best Buy and Walmart will take back their house brands
for free.)
Toshiba
Small electronics: Toshiba takes back laptops and other smaller electronics using a company
called Dealtree (now owned by Best Buy) which allows you to trade in your products for cash. You
pay to ship them to Dealtree, and if they have value, they send you a check. Dealtree has no
information on its website about what they do with products that can’t be reused and must be
recycled, however.
TVs and large electronics: To recycle Toshiba TVs and other larger Toshiba electronics for free,
you must take them to one of the collection sites operated by the MRM recycling program.
(Toshiba owns MRM along with Panasonic and Sharp.)
Vizio
Vizio now participates in the MRM recycling system. To recycle a Vizio TV for free, you must
drop it off at an MRM collection site.
Westinghouse Westinghouse has no voluntary takeback program.
Zenith
For Zenith TV recycling, see LG (which owns Zenith).
Appendix C
Composition of a Desktop Personal Computer Based on a Typical Desktop Computer, weighing
~60 lbs.
Source:www.engineering-ed.org/documents/composition_of_desktop_computer.doc
Table presented in: Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC). 1996. Electronics
Industry Environmental Roadmap. Austin, TX: MCC.
Name
Content
Matl
(% total weight) Weight in
Recycling
Use/Location
Efficiency
computer (lbs.)
Plastics
22.9907
13.8
20%
includes organics, oxides other than
silica
Lead
6.2988
3.8
5%
metal joining, radiation shield/CRT,
PWB
Aluminum
14.1723
8.5
80%
structural, conductivity/housing, CRT,
PWB, connectors
Germanium
0.0016
< 0.1
0%
Semiconductor/PWB
Gallium
0.0013
< 0.1
0%
Semiconductor/PWB
Iron
20.4712
12.3
80%
structural, magnetivity/(steel) housing,
CRT, PWB
Tin
1.0078
0.6
70%
metal joining/PWB, CRT
Copper
6.9287
4.2
90%
Conductivity/CRT, PWB, connectors
Barium
0.0315
< 0.1
0%
in vacuum tube/CRT
Nickel
0.8503
0.51
80%
structural, magnetivity/(steel) housing,
CRT, PWB
Zinc
2.2046
1.32
60%
battery, phosphor emitter/PWB, CRT
Tantalum
0.0157
< 0.1
0%
Capacitors/PWB, power supply
Indium
0.0016
< 0.1
60%
transistor, rectifiers/PWB
Vanadium
0.0002
< 0.1
0%
red phosphor emitter/CRT
Terbium
0
0
0%
green phosphor activator, dopant/CRT,
PWB
Beryllium
0.0157
< 0.1
0%
thermal conductivity/PWB, connectors
Gold
0.0016
< 0.1
99%
Connectivity, conductivity/PWB,
connectors
Europium
0.0002
< 0.1
0%
phosphor activator/PWB
Titanium
0.0157
< 0.1
0%
pigment, alloying agent/(aluminum)
housing
Ruthenium
0.0016
< 0.1
80%
resistive circuit/PWB
Cobalt
0.0157
< 0.1
85%
structural, magnetivity/(steel) housing,
CRT, PWB
Palladium
0.0003
< 0.1
95%
Connectivity, conductivity/PWB,
connectors
Manganese
0.0315
< 0.1
0%
structural, magnetivity/(steel) housing,
CRT, PWB
Silver
0.0189
< 0.1
98%
Conductivity/PWB, connectors
Antinomy
0.0094
< 0.1
0%
diodes/housing, PWB, CRT
Bismuth
0.0063
< 0.1
0%
wetting agent in thick film/PWB
Chromium
0.0063
< 0.1
0%
Decorative, hardener/(steel) housing
Cadmium
0.0094
< 0.1
0%
battery, glu-green phosphor
emitter/housing, PWB, CRT
Selenium
0.0016
0.00096
70%
rectifiers/PWB
Niobium
0.0002
< 0.1
0%
welding allow/housing
Yttrium
0.0002
< 0.1
0%
red phosphor emitter/CRT
Rhodium
0
50%
thick film conductor/PWB
Platinum
0
95%
thick film conductor/PWB
Mercury
0.0022
< 0.1
0%
batteries, switches/housing, PWB
Arsenic
0.0013
< 0.1
0%
doping agents in transistors/PWB
Silica
24.8803
15
0%
glass, solid state devices/CRT,PWB
Appendix D
Reference
Basil Action Network. (n.d.). http://www.ban.org/.
Bryson, George. "It's Safer to Recycle, Not Dump, Toxic Electronics: Environment | Alaska News at
Adn.com." Anchorage Daily News. McClatchy Company, 16 Feb. 2009. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.adn.com/2009/02/16/692551/its-safer-to-recycle-not-dump.html>.
“Transboundary” (2011) Canadian Geographic. Retrieved from
http://www.shop.canadiangeographic.com/glossary/definition.asp?word=transboundary&id=134.
Creative Recycling - Electronics & Computer Recycling. Creative Recycling. Web. 29 Sept. 2011.
<http://crserecycling.com>.
E-Stewards. Basel Action Network. Web. 19 Sept. 2011. <http://e-stewards.org/>.
Electronic Waste. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 21, 2011 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste.
Green, Gene. (2011). “Reps. Green and Thompson Introduce Electronic Waste Recycling Bill.” [Press
release]. Retrieved September 21, 2011 from http://green.house.gov/press-release/reps-green-andthompson-introduce-electronic-waste-recycling-bill.
Hickman, D.D. (2001, September 6). E-waste in USF’s English Department. (H. McCann, Interviewer)
“leachate." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 29 Sep. 2011. <Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leachate>.
"LG’s Takeback Program." Electronics TakeBack Coalition. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.electronicstakeback.com/how-to-recycle-electronics/manufacturer-takebackprograms/lgs-takeback-program/>.
Manhart, Andreas. (2010). “International Cooperation for Metal Recycling From Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment: An Assessment of the “Best-of-Two-Worlds” Approach. Journal of
Industrial Ecology.15:1. Connecticut. Yale U.
Mayfield, Kendra. (2003). “E-Waste: Darkside of Digital Age.” Wired. Retrieved from
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2003/01/57151?currentPage=all.
National Geographic. (2008). “High Tech Trash.” Retrieved September 28, 2011 from
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/carroll-text.
"Sony’s Takeback Program." Electronics TakeBack Coalition. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.electronicstakeback.com/how-to-recycle-electronics/manufacturer-takebackprograms/sonys-takeback-program/>.
United States Congress House of Representatives. “Responsible Electronics Recycling Act.” 112th Cong.,
1st sess. HR2284. Washington: GPO.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). “General Information on E-Waste.” Retrieved
September 21, 2011 from http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm.
United States Environmental Protection Agency Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship.
(2011). “National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship.” EPA 530-R-11-002. IFC International:
Fairfax, VA.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. (2011).
“Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009.”
University of South Florida. (2011). University of south Florida- about page. Retrieved from
http://www.usf.edu/About-USF/index.asp
Waste Management – Trash Removal, Garbage Collection, Recycling and Dumpster Rentals. Waste
Mangement, Inc. Web. 29 Sept. 2011. <http://wm.com>.
Who Media Centre. (2010). “Dioxins and Their Effects on Human Health.” World Health
Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/.
[Graphic of the Globe]. Retrieved from http://www.getfreebabycoupons.com/money-saving-tips-formums/20-things-you-can-use-twice-before-tossing/attachment/recycle_logo_and_globe.
Yeaton, Monique. (2007). “Safe Computing: Erase Data from Devices Before You Sell or
Recycle.” MIT. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/ist/isnews/v22/n04/220406.html.
http://www.recycleworks.org/ewaste/ewaste_process.html
http://www.recyclingsecrets.com/reasons-recycle-computers.htm