Every year millions of old electronic products end up in landfills as people replace their gadgets either out of necessity or the desire to have the latest and greatest in technology. This trend of tossing old computers, iPods, TVs, etc straight into the garbage is causing major problems. However new recycling programs instituted by some of the largest manufacturers of electronics have experts convinced that the problem soon, will be a relic of the technology transformation of the early 21st century.
Consumers have very little reason to seek out recycling for their old hardware, so companies like Cisco, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nokia, Research in Motion, Sprint Nextel and Vodafone, as well as Apple, Inc. have stepped in to fulfill this vital service. A new report from Pike Research, who tracks global clean technology trends, notes that with the implementation of these private sector programs, in conjunction with new government regulations on what can end up in landfills, e-waste will begin to be curtailed in 2016, when recycling practices fully catch up with the growth of personal machinery.
But until then, the problem will continue to warrant monitoring. A summary of the report can be found free online here.
