The following table compares the environmental benefits of refurbishing vs. recycling 100 computers with CRT monitors. The savings are compared to disposing of the equipment in a landfill. This example was prepared using the United States Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator.
100 COMPUTERS RECYCLED | 100 COMPUTERS REFURBISHED | |
---|---|---|
Energy Savings | Saves enough electricity to power 2.75 U.S. households per year | Saves enough electricity to power 68.00 U.S. households per year |
Greenhouse Gas Reduction | Equal to removing 1.95 passenger cars from the road per year | Equal to removing 48 passenger cars from the road per year |
Solid Waste Reduction | Removes the equivalent of solid waste generated by 1.8 households per year | |
Primary Material Savings | Saves the equivalent weight of 27 refrigerators | |
Hazardous Waste Reduction | Reduces hazardous waste by the weight of 720 bricks | |
Toxic Material Reduction - Including Mercury | Reduces toxic materials waste by the weight of 3.97 bricks | |
Toxic Material Reduction - Mercury Only | Reduces the amount of mercury in fewer than 0.01 mercury thermometers | |
Air Emissions | Reduces air emissions by 129 metric tons (142.2 U.S. tons) | Reduces air emissions by 3,183 metric tons (3,508.66 U.S. tons) |
Water Emissions | Reduces water emissions by 0.27 metric tons (0.3 U.S. tons | Reduces water emissions by 6.66 metric tons (7.43 U.S. tons) |
Replacement Cost Savings | $2,708 | $66,801 |
(http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/ccpt/eebc/eebc)
Note: These may be proportionally greater than other metrics, as they include all material inputs, including those from upstream processes. These estimates do not account for impacts from product/material substitutions that might replace restricted materials.