Estimate of Life Expectancy and Numbers of Future Computers
The majority of computers are upgraded within five years of purchase.
- 10% are reused
- 1% are recycled
- 9% are landfilled
- 80% are stockpiled
The PC market grows by 16% every year, 12.8 million units in 1998, and 30% of these going to home use.
- Our potential market of recycling home computers can be estimated to grow by 5% every year with an estimated 3.8 million home units requiring disposal by 2003.
- (Matthews, H.S. Disposition and End-of-Life Options for Personal Computers; Carnegie Mellon 1997)