look around any college campus and you\u2019re sure to see dozens of students hastily walking, iced coffee in one hand, smartphone in the other. you have to hope all those plastic cups get recycled, but what about the phones?<\/p>\n
the united states generated 6.3 metric tons of electronic waste in 2016, according to the latest installment of the global e-waste monitor<\/a>. the amount of electronics we discard is second only to china.<\/p>\n electronic waste, or e-waste, is expected to be a growing problem as the rate of technological development continues to increase. e-waste includes discarded phones, computers, tablets, music players, printers, cds, tapes, wires, and other items that require electricity to function.<\/p>\n discarding electronics means discarding valuable metals<\/a> such as aluminum, copper, silver, and even gold. according to the global e-waste monitor, global e-waste was valued at more than $60 billion<\/a>. yet, only 20%<\/a> of that waste is being disposed of properly, meaning most of that value is lost.<\/p>\n while e-waste constitutes a small portion of the waste that is ultimately found in landfills, it is responsible for the majority of hazardous waste. electronics such as television monitors and computers are often latent with mercury, lead, and other harmful substances.<\/p>\n