How much e-waste is in the waste stream?
Consumer electronics – including TVs and other video equipment, computers, assorted peripherals, audio equipment, and phones – make up almost two percent of the municipal solid waste stream, as tracked in the Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Report. Although electronics comprise a small percentage of the total municipal solid waste stream, the quantity of electronic waste that we are generating is steadily increasing. In 2007, discarded TVs, computers, peripherals (including printers, scanners, faxes), mice, keyboards and cell phones totaled about 2.5 million tons.
