![]() ![]() in 2015 (compared to less than 9 million sold in 1990). have a computer with over 71 million computers sold in the U.S. How do Computers impact the E-waste Stream?Ĭlose to 84% of all households within the U.S. Desktop and larger, heavy duty computers also contain a significant number of insulated copper cables and wires. Finally, the housing for most computers is made of steel or aluminum, which can be recycled, or thermoset plastic, which cannot be recycled. The monitor in a computer (or screen in a single integrated machine) is similar to televisions and has transitioned from CRT based screens to liquid crystal display screens. The fan blades, motor, and other supporting components are enclosed in a case, typically made of Rynite plastic. This motor turns fan blades which cool the electronics. The fan consists of brushless motor wrapped in copper wires. Most general purpose computers, with the exception of tablets and e-readers, also contain a fan which cools the internal electronics down to prevent damage. Most of a CD/DVD ROM drive is made of plastic and metal although some electronics are also contained within the drive. Many computers, particularly desktop versions, have a CD/DVD-ROM drive which uses a laser that reads data from a CD or DVD (data) and then sends that data to the CPU to be processed. Both cards are printed circuit boards like the mother board, but differ from the motherboard in that they carry out dedicated functions. In addition to these components, a variety of other electronics support computation intensive functions of the computer including the graphics and sound card. RAM is made of silicon integrated circuits which are made primarily of plastic, metals (copper, gold, aluminum), and silicon. In comparison, the hard drive can store data permanently but cannot be accessed at random, making it slower. The hard drive provides longer term storage of data and is primarily made of aluminum alloy or a mixture of glass and ceramic, while random access memory (or RAM) provides more temporary data storage and faster access to temporary memory, thus allowing the computer to execute commands more efficiently and run faster. The workhorse or brain of the motherboard is the CPU, a highly integrated circuit which contains billions of transistors and processes the many signals from and to the computer digitally, managing memory, computation, and other critical functions of the computer itself. ![]() resistors, capacitors), integrated circuits, and connectors. A motherboard is a printed circuit board containing a variety of discrete components (e.g. ![]() The motherboard physically connects most computer components together and manages signals that go to and from the other components in a computer. ![]() The motherboard is the most essential part of a computer and is akin to the central nervous system in the human body. Despite looking very complicated, the internal layout of a computer can be broken into six main components which give it its functionality. Computers | Legacy Televisions | Modern Televisions | SmartphonesĪvailable to almost all Americans, the computer, plays an essential role in our day-to-day life. Click below to learn more about what is contained in certain consumer electronic devices and how these devices impact both the environment and public health over the long run. But, with their ever-growing popularity comes consequences, particularly at the end of their useful life. From watching the news to texting friends at the snap of a finger to using TVs, smartphones, and tablets, consumer electronic devices are an integral part of a more inter-connected globe. WEEE (e-waste) in Consumer Electronic DevicesĬonsumer electronic devices play a significant and frequent part in our day to day life. ![]()
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