AN ELECTRONICS REVOLUTION CREATES A NEW WASTE STREAM
FIGURE 12.14 (a) In just 30 years, from 1980 to 2010, U.S. sales of electronics increased from 22 million to 443 million devices and diversified from a market dominated by televisions to one made up of various electronics, ranging from computers to smart phones. (b) As electronic devices in the United States reach the end of their useful life, they enter the solid waste stream, creating a growing source of hazardous waste. (Data from EPA, 2011a)