astics, glass),which makes dismantling and recycling challenging;- The presence of hazardous materials; and,- The life cycle ecological burden represented by waste IT equipment.Computer equipment can become obsolete as a result of technological advancements, for example:- Increasing micro processing speed – from 80386 to 80486 to Pentium I, II andnow III generation systems;- Increasing memory capacity to support faster microprocessors and expandedstorage requirements;- Internet developments that cannot be accessed using older systems;- New and expanding operating systems and software that cannot run on oldersystems;- Advancements in color, resolution and technology for monitors (i.e., flat panelmonitors);- Increasing speed and color performance for laser and ink-jet printers, and- Merging technologies such as “all-in-one” equipment, with faxing, printing andscanning capabilities provided in one unit.These factors have reduced both the average first life and total lifespan of computer equipment – where first life refers to the amount of time a product is useful to its original owner and total lifespan is the period from manufacture to disposal 2.Computer equipment sales are projected to continue to grow as a result of decreasing lifespan and the increased use of computers in businesses, institutions and at home.The largest growth in computer sales is into the residential market. In 1998 there were 1.9 million computers installed in Canadian homes and in 2000, there were 2.2 million – an increase of 16%. In the education sector, installed computers increased by 9% in 1999, to 1.4 million. Installed computers in the business sector increased from 6.2million in 1999 to 7.0 million in 2000 – an increase of 13% 3.Figure 2-1 presents a simplified schematic of the lifespan of computer equipment from point of sale, through use, to end of first life, to diversion (reuse and recycling) and to disposal. 3.0 IT ...
