Today, a lot of our obsolete electronics are recycled, which seems like a good thing, but what most people don't know is that the majority of this “recycling” is disposed of irresponsibly. These hazardous electronic wastes are called e-waste. Our old electronics are sent to developing countries to extract valuable materials, but this is done in a way that harms the environment and the people who work, play and live there. Something must be done about the problem of electronic waste! We, as responsible inhabitants of this earth, must therefore ask ourselves: “What happens to my obsolete electronic devices? » Electronic devices such as phones, computers, video game consoles, and televisions all contain heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead, and many other potentially harmful substances. If this potentially dangerous electronic waste is not managed properly, very serious health and environmental risks can arise (Tsydenova). Therefore, it makes sense that simply throwing away your old, outdated electronics and sending them to the landfill where they could leak their toxic substances into the ground and surrounding areas would be irresponsible for the environment. About 80% of all Americans simply throw away their outdated technology. . The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans throw away 2 billion tons of electronic waste every day, along with more than 350,000 cell phones and 130,000 computers. E-waste is now the fastest growing part of waste in the United States. The responsible thing to do would be to recycle our unwanted e-waste, but if it's not handled properly, it could actually be even worse for the environment. In these electronic devices there are not only dangerous metals, but also precious metals. T...... middle of paper ...... theirs. We, as an entire human race, must work together to protect this land we love to call home. Works Cited - Tsydenova, Oyuna and Magnus Bengtsson. “Chemical risks associated with the treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment.” Waste Management 31.1 (2011): 45-58. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO.- Xiangdong Li, et al. “Heavy metal contamination in soil and vegetables near an e-waste processing site, southern China.” Journal of Hazardous Materials 186.1 (2011): 481-490. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO.-Stone, Brad. “Tech Trash, E-Waste: whatever you call it, it’s a problem.” Newsweek 146.24 (2005): 11. Academic Research Premier. EBSCO.-Walsh, Bryan. “No electronic waste.” Time 173.2 (2009): 49-50. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO.- Schaffhauser, Dian. “Dirt on E-Waste.” THE Journal 36.3 (2009): 20-25. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO.