While the rapid advances in technology have raised productivity to an all-time high, the life cycle of computer and electronic equipment has dwindled to as little as two years. Sooner or later, this obsolete equipment ends up as "high-tech trash" in a landfill--a permanent rest stop on the information superhighway. And each year, over 10 million PCs, workstations, and mainframes are being added to landfills.

But the story doesn't end there, and neither does your liability. For example, the cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in your discarded computer monitors contain traces of lead, phosphorous, cadmi um and mercury. These hazardous materials are sealed away to protect users, but they will seep out in a landfill once the CRT is broken, and eventually find their way into a public water supply. Also, when the glass is crushed in a trash-compacting facility, the lead-bearing particles become an airborne hazard for sanitation workers.

Lead is the most prominent segment of the four toxic substances found in the cathode ray tube (CRT). The others--mercury, cadmium and phosphorous--are no less a concern, but their lower content in CRTs make them a less ominous health risk than lead. Lead is an extremely toxic compound. When used properly, it is an important, critical component used in many of our modern conveniences. However, when used improperly, or disposed of carelessly, lead can be a deadly poison.

CRT breakage or incineration causes an immediate, widespread air-borne release of all four toxic materials. These noxious substances, especially lead, are an imminent, dynamic health hazard if they are breathed or ingested in appreciable quantities. Particularly at risk are sanitation personnel who handle these toxic materials.

That's why, beginning in 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the landfill dumping of CRTs. And in 1993, the EPA began targeting companies that dispose large quantities of CRTs through landfills or incineration. In addition, many state and local regulatory agencies are now monitoring the disposal of CRTs and other computer equipment.