REUTERS/Stringer
As consumer
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 5 billion pounds of e-waste ended up in waste stream in 2009, and e-waste is one of the fastest growing contributors to waste.
Many electronics can be recycled and made into new parts. Reuters has gathered pictures of recycling plants around the world, including China and India, where household electronics go to die and are reborn as new products and materials.