E-waste: An opportunity

The success of the electronics industry over the last decade in developing a mass consumer market for computers, cell phones, and other personal electronic equipment has been phenomenal. Society must now finds ways of safely and economically recovering the materials that are embedded in these products. This will require significant investment by governments, industry, and individuals in technology and education to reshape societal attitudes to waste disposal. This multidimensional and multiscale problem will be a pivotal challenge as we close material cycles and move away from linear material use.