Every year 40 millions tonnes of electronic and electrical waste are generated in the whole world, constituting the 8% of municipal waste. The growing of this type of waste is troublesome, hence the 3-5% rate of annual grow is the highest value of all the waste types and the recycling values are still too small. In developed countries only between 13% and 20% of this waste is collected and recycled. Behind the word recycling hides a waste export to impoverished countries, where are improperly handled with serious consequences for the health population and the environment. In 2003 came the first European Directive related to electrical and electronic equipment and since then regulations are appearing. Anyway these are already born and the effectiveness of these are in doubt. Computers manufacturing is increasing rapidly, in 1994 20 million computers became obsolete against 100 million in 2004 and between this years 500 millions ended their useful life. Computers contain valuable materials (gold, silver, copper, etc.) as well hazardous substances (heavy metals and flame retardants), so for both sides a proper treatment and recovery of materials is necessary. The recycling chain consists in three steps: collection, pretreatment and treatment. These phases are described and his characteristics exposed in these thesis, which depend on the different computer components. A new ecofriendly trend reached the computing world with the named “green computers” and the environmental purposes of the producers companies in their corporate social responsibility documents. Ecological computers proposed by corporations, who are moved by the maximisation of their economical benefits, has to be analysed carefully. Green computers are referred to ecological labels, like Eco-label, EPEAT or Blue Angel, which treat the more important aspects to raise a green computer and their criteria are similar, but with some important differences.

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