By the Numbers: Unused TV sets piling up in American homes

99.1 million

Number of unused television sets Americans have stashed away in their homes, according to the "Electronics Waste Management In the United States" report (PDF) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

With all those old TVs piling up, states and municipalities have required manufacturers to take on the recycling of electronics, according to this recent article in The New York Times.

Nearly 27 million televisions were disposed of in this country in 2007, with only 18 percent of those televisions by weight recycled, according to Take Back My TV, a campaign of the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, which promotes responsible recycling in the electronics industry (PDF). The 2007 figures were no better for computers and cell phones, says the organization: 205.5 million computers were trashed, with 18 percent recycled; 140.3 million cell phones were disposed of, with 10 percent recycled.

When you need to get rid of an old TV or other piece of electronic equipment, including cell phones and computers, read "Where to Recycle Electronics, Free" and refer to our Electronics Reuse & Recycling Center. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Find out how to dispose or other household products, including leftover paints.

Comments

[eric]

How do they know? Did they call every american?