What is ewaste - How is e-waste effecting us

What is E-Waste? E-waste means electronic and electrical products that are broken or discarded for an upgraded version. The name E-Waste is a slang term for these waning products. These electronic products could be recycled, reused or refurbished, but are usually thrown out and are piling up in our land fills. Common products put out for the trash pickup are computers, TV?s, VCR?s, stereos, copiers, fax machines, electrical appliances. E-waste that can be recycled is defined by some people as a ?commodity.? The definition of E-waste doesn?t have a set standard as some people don?t consider appliances like microwaves E-waste. The passage of the Electronic Waste Act of 2003 has defined some parts of the electronic waste stream. It was enacted in California to regulate systems to recover and recycle these wastes. An estimate by researchers says that 75% of old electronics are stored because people aren?t certain how-to manage them. Some electronic components are considered hazardous like the cathode ray tubes used in TV?s. What Can You Do About It? Many parts of electronics are good sources of secondary raw materials that can be removed and sold, though toxins and carcinogens have to be handled properly. Three things you can do are reduce, reuse and recycle.