Facts About Video Games

Remember Sonic the Hedgehog? How about the Atari 2600 console? The video game industry is always growing and evolving, and obsolete game systems are classified as e-waste. Here are a few facts about video games:

• Nintendo became a household name when it introduced the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.
• While Sony has invented electronic products from transistor radios to video recorders, its top-selling product of all time is a video game console.
• In 2007, the video game industry had a revenue of $18.8 billion, a 40 percent increase from 2006.
• The video game console market is one of the fastest growing in consumer electronics, with more than 60 million sold in 2007.
• The current “big three” video console manufacturers (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony) all use hazardous chemicals and materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), phthalates, beryllium and bromine in their products.
• The consoles also contain circuit boards like hard drives, which feature lead that can leach out of landfills and into the water supply.
• While video game players are not likely to be exposed to these harmful chemicals, scrap yard workers are at higher risk if they’re thrown in the trash.
• According to e-waste recycler Electronic Recyclers International, the disposal of consoles and video games increases at an alarming rate with the evolution of gaming technology.