This piece intends to show some of the problems we face with the mounting numbers of discarded PCs.

It is a computer-generated animation based on the hugely popular game Tetris.

The goal is to remind us of the problem of mounting waste as we battle to “recycle” lines and maintain our mountain of cubes to a minimum. The game has sold more than 170 million copies making it the highest-paid downloaded game of all time. It exists in every type of computer, tablet, cell phone, and device running a program.

According to the EPA, between 2003 and 2005, 85% of electronics went straight into the trash and directly into the landfill.
An old PC may contain several pounds of lead and toxins such as cadmium, mercury, and beryllium.

E-waste is only 4% of the total landfill in the US; it accounts for over 40% of the lead and 70% of toxins. The toxic metals in the electronics, cases, and plastic components containing large amounts of fire-resistant chemicals are hazardous. There are approximately 200 million personal computers in use in the US alone, which are replaced on average every 4.2 years. That can amount to 170 Million PCs in landfills every four years or 80 PCs every minute!