While the fact that 95.5 million Americans said they would shop on Black Friday is good news for retailers, it is a far less positive figure for the environment. Cheap electronics are one of the biggest draws for shoppers on the day (and indeed the rest of the year), but these immediate savings hide the ultimate collective cost - old electronics (e-waste) that are improperly disposed of can result in environmental pollution with its attendant health risks, as well as data theft.
In 2012, the world amassed almost 49 million metric tons of e-waste, including everything from last generation cellphones and laptops to televisions and washing machines. And the trend is only growing. One study, conducted by a United Nations partner organization, projects that this number will rise to 65.4 million metric tons by 2017.
But awareness of the e-waste issue is finally growing around the world. John Shegerian, CEO and co-founder of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) - the largest e-waste recycling company in the US – told Newsweek that when his company launched in April of 2005, ERI recycled 10,000 pounds of e-waste its first month. Last month, Shegerian says ERI recycled nearly 25 million pounds. ERI has clients ranging from cities and corporations, to New York City apartment buildings. Once the e-waste enters their facility, each item is barcoded and tracked. Customers can then watch the progress of their device’s recycling online. ERI either recycles the parts, or refurbishes the device for reuse according to the contract created with the customer. In the case of recycling, the company separates the different materials and throws the electronic carcass into an industrial shredder. ERI then sells the broken down materials, and pays a responsible smelter to take the glass. If a device is being prepared for reuse, ERI cleans and fixes the item, wipes the data, and then repackages and resells it.
Source: Newsweek.com (Adapted from http://www.newsweek.com/, Nov 2014)
Which alternative below has the CORRECT information about the word and its function in the text?
