Key facts on the infographic
- In 2010, 51,900,000 computers were disposed of in the US, and 60% of them went to landfill.
- Electronics are said to be 70% of toxic landfill waste but only 2% of America’s total trash, and the US is said to produce 2.3 billion pounds of e-waste a year.
- Recycling one million laptops is said to save the energy used by 3,657 US homes in a year.
- A ring of element tiles gives the pounds per ton of metals in circuit boards, from 286 for copper to .07 for platinum.
- The graphic is by WasteCap Nebraska and prints no sources for its figures.
The electronic waste recycling infographic in text
The poster is titled “Waste Not, Electronic Waste and Our Environment”, with the strapline “Some sobering facts on electronic waste and how it effects us all”.
Disposal, toxins and health
- In 2010, there were 51,900,000 computers disposed. 60% of those were thrown into the landfill.
- Electronics are 70% of toxic landfill waste but only 2% of America’s total trash.
- The U.S. produces 2.3 billion pounds of e-waste each year.
- 40% of the lead found in landfills (comes from electronics).
- Computer monitors and televisions contain significant amounts of lead, an average of four pounds each.
- Health risks. Lead can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, blood systems and kidneys in humans, and has been shown to have negative effects on the development of children’s brains.
Jobs and energy
- Compared to disposal, computer reuse creates 296 jobs for every 10,000 tons of material disposed each year.
- Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year.
- 81% of a desktop computer’s energy use is in making the computer, not using it.
- One metric ton of electronic scrap from PCs contains more gold than that recovered from 17 tons of gold ore.
Elements in electronic circuit boards, pounds per ton
| Element | Pounds per ton |
|---|---|
| Copper (Cu, 29) | 286 |
| Tin (Sn, 50) and iron (Fe, 26) | 90 and 44 |
| Nickel (Ni, 28) | 40 |
| Zinc (Zn, 30) | 9 |
| Silver (Ag, 47) and gold (Au, 79) | 1 |
| Palladium (Pd, 46) | .25 |
| Platinum (Pt, 78) | .07 |
Toxins and where they are used
| Element | Use printed on the graphic |
|---|---|
| Lead (Pb, 82) | cathode ray tube and solder |
| Arsenic (As, 33) | older cathode ray tubes |
| Antimony (Sb, 51) | (trioxide) as flame retardant |
| Selenium (Se, 34) | circuit boards |
| Cadmium (Cd, 48) | circuit boards and semiconductors |
| Chromium (Cr, 24) | (steel) as corrosion protection |
| Cobalt (Co, 27) | steel for structure and magnetism |
| Mercury (Hg, 80) | switches and housing |
Why recycle e-waste
- Protect public health and the environment, because landfilled e-waste exposes the environment to unnecessary toxins.
- Conserve natural resources, since recovered materials can be made into new products.
- Create jobs, as electronics recycling businesses start and expand.
- Save landfill space.
- Help others, by donating used computers to people who need them.
Alternatives to throwing away
- Goodwill accepts intact computers, printers and monitors without charge, disassembles them for recycling and resells newer units. Consumers must remove personal data.
- WasteCap’s e-scrap events took monitors and peripherals: the first monitor free and others $10 each, the first 50 lbs of peripherals free and then 30 cents per lb.
- Best Buy’s in-store consumer electronics recycling programme accepts old electronics wherever they were bought.
E-waste statistics today
The figures on the poster are from around 2010 and cover the US. The UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reports that a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced worldwide in 2022, up 82% from 2010, and that less than a quarter of it (22.3%) was documented as properly collected and recycled [2]. It projects 82 million tonnes by 2030, with the documented recycling rate falling to 20% [2]. WHO describes e-waste as one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world [1].
Health risks from e-waste
WHO says informal recycling of e-waste can release up to 1,000 different chemical substances, including known neurotoxicants such as lead, and that pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable [1]. That matches the poster’s lead warning, although WHO’s concern is mainly the informal recycling, open burning and dumping of e-waste rather than landfill alone [1].
The value inside old electronics
The gold claim on the poster comes from a 2001 U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet, which says 1 metric ton of electronic scrap from personal computers contains more gold than that recovered from 17 tons of gold ore [3]. The same fact sheet gives a range of 80 to 1,500 grams of gold and 160 to 210 kilograms of copper per metric ton of circuit boards [3]. The US EPA cites a 2006 USGS estimate that recycling one million laptops saves the energy used by more than 3,500 US homes in a year [4].
Notes on this infographic
- No sources printed. We could confirm the gold and laptop figures [3][4]. We could not find an authoritative source for the 51.9 million computers, 60% landfilled, 70% of toxic waste, 2.3 billion pounds, 40% of lead, 296 jobs or 81% energy figures, so treat them as unverified.
- Data date. The poster uses 2010 data. Current global figures are in the section above [2].
- Out of date services. WasteCap Nebraska is now the Nebraska Recycling Council [5], so the e-scrap event prices are historical.
- Wording. “Effects us all” should read “affects us all”, and “regardless of age of condition” should read “age or condition”.
Questions about electronic waste recycling
What percentage of e-waste is recycled?
Worldwide, 22.3% of the e-waste produced in 2022 was documented as formally collected and recycled, according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 and WHO [1][2].
How much electronic waste is produced each year?
About 62 million tonnes worldwide in 2022, rising by 2.6 million tonnes a year and on track for 82 million tonnes by 2030 [2]. The poster’s older US figure is 2.3 billion pounds a year.
How much gold is in electronic waste?
One metric ton of electronic scrap from personal computers contains more gold than that recovered from 17 tons of gold ore, according to a 2001 U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet [3]. The same fact sheet gives 80 to 1,500 grams of gold and 160 to 210 kilograms of copper per metric ton of circuit boards [3]. The poster puts gold at 1 pound per ton of circuit boards.
What toxic materials are found in e-waste?
The poster lists lead, arsenic, antimony, selenium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt and mercury, with lead used in cathode ray tubes and solder and mercury in switches and housing. It says computer monitors and televisions contain an average of four pounds of lead each. WHO says informal e-waste recycling can release up to 1,000 different chemical substances, including neurotoxicants such as lead [1].
Sources
- World Health Organization, Electronic waste (e-waste) fact sheet.
- ITU and UNITAR, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024.
- U.S. Geological Survey, Obsolete Computers, Gold Mine, or High-Tech Trash? (Fact Sheet 060-01, 2001).
- US EPA, Electronics Donation and Recycling.
- WasteCap Nebraska (now Nebraska Recycling Council).
Last reviewed 29 October 2026
