Disposable Electronics - Cheap Communications Equipment Means Disposal Problems

Developments in nano-electronics and materials such as organic semiconductors allow electronic devices to be incorporated into ordinary everyday items, and for other electronic devices to get smaller, and ultimately cheaper and more disposable. This is a boon for manufacturers and indeed for consumers as things get cheaper, better and more useful. It allows retailers to improve efficiency by better monitoring, medical applications to become easier through miniaturisation. As we move into this disposable electronics society though, there are concerns with what happens to the products when we've finished with them, and with the rate of change of technology, even though reliability has improved, the devices soon become outdated and we seek to buy the latest replacements. This article looks briefly at environmental considerations in this disposable electronics society.