Computer technology is advancing so fast that old hardware quickly becomes completely obsolete. The electronic waster (e-waste) from this constantly growing field is polluting the environment, both here and abroad.
Computers contain toxic (有毒的) materials such as lead. Despite the danger of throwing these hazardous materials in a landfill (垃圾填埋场), that's exactly where tons of computers end up. Americans reuse or recycle only about 10 percent of the 50 million computers they replace each year, according to ABC News. Eighty percent is being stockpiled (囤积), which could create even bigger problems in the future, and the remaining 10 percent is landfilled. Throwing e-waste in landfills creates a potential for landfills are tougher in the United States than in many other countries, e-waste is often exported, especially to some developing countries.
Some countries are creating policies to deal with the growing e-waste problem. In the Netherlands, you can bring your old computer to the seller when buying a new one, and the seller must by law accept it free of charge. Japan passed a law in 2001 requiring producers to recycle certain parts.
In the united states, a movement called the Computer TakeBack Campaign is demanding that producers take more responsibility for disposing of (处理) old computers, California and Massachusetts recently prohibited certain computer parts in landfills, while Apple and IBM take back computers for about a $30 fee. Gateway is one step ahead: They will pay you $50 for recycling your old computer when you buy a new one from them. Lastly, many nonprofit programs accept used equipment, and services have popped up that distribute old computers to schools and other organizations.