Economic sustainability of reuse as an end-of-life management tool for computers and televisions

The rapid rate of consumer electronics obsolescence and the growing momentum to ban these materials from landfills present an opportunity for reuse of these resource-rich discards. In order to better understand the market demand and economic viability of reused electronics the Northeast Recycling Council Inc. (NERC) conducted and analyzed a survey of reuse facilities serving the Northeast. Although the information obtained represents a snapshot of the Northeast´s electronics reuse industry between December 2002 and March 2003, it provides baseline information for this industry sector.