Figures are from a new market study "e-Waste Recovery and Recycling" by .

Although the legal framework for e-waste recycling remains strongest in Europe under the region's stringent WEEE directive, efforts made on behalf of non-profit groups such as the Basel Action Network (BAN) and e-Stewards Initiative are driving improvements in many other regions of the world, especially the US.

Companies such as Apple are now strongly pushing their green credentials, showing customers . Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a special point of talking about recycling when he launched the .

Depending on how they are handled, discarded electronic products and components - or e-waste, as they are collectively known - can represent either a major environmental dilemma or a massive potential economic windfall.If treated properly, much e-waste may be reclaimed or recycled for future use and converted into a significant new revenue stream.

Improperly treated e-waste, on the other hand, poses a massive threat to the world's ecosystem and can result in contamination to the soil, air, and water, while also exposing workers, nearby residents, and wildlife to a multitude of health hazards.