Five Friday Facts: E-Waste

Posted on the 13 July 2012 by 2ndgreenrevolution @2ndgreenrev

Infographics have become a popular mode of distributing facts. They’re eye-catching and contain loads of information. This week’s Five Friday Facts comes from the folks at Good.is. The infographic from 2010, which deals with electronic waste, can be found here.

  • Electronic waste is piling up at a rate of more than 40 million tons per year.
  • The United States produces 3.3 million and China 2.6 million tons of E-waste annually.
  • In the United States, 100 million cell phones, 47.5 million computers, and 25 million televisions sets are thrown away on average each year.
  • According to the images on the infographic, recycling rates in the United States hover around 20% for computer products and televisions, but dip below that mark for cell phones.
  • E-waste was a $5.7 billion industry in 2001. It is projected to grow to $14.7 billion by 2014.

Image source: Metropolitan Museum of Art