E-Waste

The term e-waste refers to old end-of-life or discarded appliances, such as computers, consumer electronics, refrigerators, and so on, using electricity, that have been disposed of by their original users. It is also known as waste electrical and electronic equipment. These products are a relatively recent addition to the waste stream and are getting increasing attention from policy makers, as the quantity being generated is rising rapidly. E-waste contains valuable materials as well as hazardous materials that require special handling and recycling methods. Some specific examples of hazardous materials include televisions and computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes, liquid crystal display (LCD) desktop monitors, laptop computers with LCD displays, LCD and plasma televisions, and portable DVD players with LCD screens.