How green is a computer?

How green is the average PC.

What goes into a computer

Below is a breakdown of the materials in a computer.

Chemical contamination

Computers contain some hazardus materials including: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The latter two are manufactured compounds used as flame retardants in plastics used in a variety of domestic objects including computers

Lifetime embodied energy

The average lifespan of a computer is 3-5 years, consuming between 60 - 90 watts, used for an average of 4 hours per day. That's 876Kwh per year.

Recycling and material recovery

Computers contain some hazardus materials including: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The latter two are manufactured compounds used as flame retardants in plastics used in a variety of domestic objects including computers

Factoids [5]

In 2005, approximately 55 million PCs went to landfill sites in the US and 5 million in the UK.

In 2005, used or unwanted electronics amounted to about 1.9 million to 2.2 million tons of waste. Of that number, about 1.7 million tons were disposed of in landfills, and only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled, according to the environmental agency.

The construction of the average desktop computer consumes ten times its weight in fossil fuels.

The energy used in producing nine or ten computers is enough to produce an automobile.

The energy a computer utilizes each year is enough to release 750 lbs. of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

ADD A FACTIOD (If you know a fact about a computer, use the form below to let us know. This page is open.)
(*)indicates required fields
author (*) :
source :
comment (*) :

This page as been viewed 628 times