Statistics on the Management of Used and End-of-Life Electronics

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Consumer electronics – including TVs and other video equipment, computers, assorted peripherals, audio equipment, and phones – make up almost 2% of the municipal solid waste stream, as tracked in the Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Report. Although electronics comprise a small percentage of the total municipal solid waste stream, the quantity of electronic waste that we are generating is steadily increasing. In 1998, the National Safety Council Study estimated about 20 million computers became obsolete in one year. Fast forward to 2007 — that number has more than doubled according to EPA’s most recent estimates. EPA conducted a closer analysis of the management of select electronic products:

Televisions
Computers (desktops, monitors, and notebooks)
Computer mice and keyboards
Hard copy peripherals (printers, scanners, and fax machines)
Cell phones

EPA examined product sales, usage patterns, and end-of-life (EOL) management patterns. The key findings are summarized here. More detailed information on the analysis is provided below.

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Key Findings on the Management of Select Electronic Products in the US in 2007

Storage

Of products sold between 1980 and 2007, approximately 235 million units had accumulated in storage as of 2007.

**Estimated Number of Units in Storage as of 2007**
Product Type	Number (million units)
Desktop computer	65.7
Computer monitors	42.4
Portable computers (notebooks)	2.1
Televisions	99.1
Hard copy peripherals	25.2
Total	234.6
*EPA does not have information to estimate the number of cell phones currently in storage.

Recycling vs Disposal

Of the 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones and computer products ready for end-of-life (EOL) management, 18% (414,000 tons) was collected for recycling and 82% (1.84 million tons) was disposed of, primarily in landfills.
From 1999 through 2005, recycling rate was relatively constant at about 15%. During these years, the amount of electronics recycled increased but the percentage did not because the amount of electronics sent for end of life management increased each year as well.
For 2006-2007, the recycling rate increased to 18%, possibly because several states have started mandatory collection and recycling programs for electronics.

	Generated (million of units)	Disposed (million of units)	Recycled (million of units)	Recycling Rate (by weight)
Televisions	26.9	20.6	6.3	18%
Computer Products*	205.5	157.3	48.2	18%
Cell Phones	140.3	126.3	14.0	10%
*Computer products include CPUs, monitors, notebooks, keyboards, mice, and hard copy peripherals.

Details on the data sources, assumptions, and calculations underlying the information summarized above are available in two reports. Each report analyzes the management of electronics, but use different sets of data inputs and life span models. Looking at both of the reports together, it is evident that the results are quite similar. The fact sheet summarizes each approach and presents the joint results for 2003-2005.

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Fact Sheet (PDF) (12 pp, 219K) - July 2008
Electronics Waste Management in the United States: Approach One; Final (PDF) (56 pp, 380K) - July 2008

This final report updates figures to 2007 and addresses comments received on the draft final report of Approach One by incorporating the following changes: updating sales data to 2007, changing the data source for sales of LCD monitors, modifying the units/ton factor exhibited by end-of-life products, revising the recycling rate for cell phones, and updating the recycling rates for TVs and computer products.
- Approach 1: Model 1 (Excel) (720K)
Approach 2; Draft Final (PDF) (84 pp, 735) - April 2007
- Approach 2: Model 2 (Excel) (15MB) - large file; be patient