Electronics contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and polybrominated flame retardants. And the plastic casings of these products contain polyvinyl chloride. All are persistent, bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs) that can create environmental and health risks when computers are incinerated, landfilled or melted down. These toxins can leach into groundwater and create cancer-producing dioxins when burned.These are not insignificant amounts of toxins.

In Australia non working CRTs are considered hazardous waste, and once these monitors are put outside on nature strips or in waste bins they are certainly non working. It is said that lead can make up as much as 25% of the weight of monitors weighing anywhere from 5 to 40Kgs.

Electronic waste affects nearly every system in the human body as indicated in the chart below

 

Without responsible recycling most of these toxins will end up in landfill - poisoning our soil and water	E-Waste Toxic Components and their Damage to Human Health
	Toxic Material	Birth Defects	Brain Damage	Heart, Liver, Lung & Spleen Damage	Kidney Damage	Nervous & Reproductive Damage	Skeletal  System Damage
	Barium		l	l
	Cadmium	l		l	l	l	l
	Lead	l	l		l	l
	Lithium	l	l	l	l	l
	Mercury	l	l	l	l
	Nickel	l		l	l	l
	Paladium	l	l	l	l
	Rhodium			l
	Silver	l	l	l	l	l
						Source: Green Citizen Inc