Four researchers from Nankai University (China) and Arizona State University (United States) have published concerning results on electronic waste (ewaste) in developing nations, estimating that developing regions will overtake developed nations by 2016.
The research goes on to indicate that by 2030, 'obselete PCs' will reach an estimated 400-700 million units in developing regions, overtaking developed nations by 200-400 million units.
And why is electronic waste concerning? The report states one of the key concerns with this massive increase is the potential environmental hazards from exposure to toxic materials. They note that the "informal" recycling practices in the developing world, where wires are stripped from electronics and then burned in open piles to help remove the valuable copper, generates dangerous pollutants. In addition circuit boards are treated with acid and cyanide which then pollute local water sources.
View the report: Forecasting Global Generation of Obsolete Personal Computers (pdf)
