Computer recycling

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/computer-recycling

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the category?Environmental Science, Industrial Ecology, and Resource Management
2. Why is it important to recycle old computers?It keeps harmful chemicals out of landfills and saves precious metals and plastics. It also reduces the need to mine new resources.
3. How do recycling centers get the metals from computers?Workers separate the parts and use machines or chemicals to pull out metals like gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. They then melt or refine them for new products.

E-waste (Electronic Waste): Discarded electrical or electronic devices, characterized by complex material composition and potential environmental hazards.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): A policy approach where producers are given significant responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product lifecycle.
Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources, contrasting with the traditional linear economy.