The Basel Action Network, an American watchdog group that has sought to curb the export of toxic electronic waste from the United States, plans to begin a new certification and auditing program on Thursday for both recyclers and companies that generate electronic refuse.

BAN launched a new program to certify that electronics are safely recycled launched today with the backing of environmental groups and several companies including Samsung.

RecycleBank partners with cities and haulers to reward households for recycling. Households earn RecycleBank Points that can be used to shop at over 1,500 local and national businesses.

The National Broadband Plan is a bold roadmap for the future of the Internet in America

Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests.

(CNN) -- The champions at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver can stand on the podium proud of their achievements, but the eco-minded among them can be extra proud that their medals are made with traces of precious metals recovered from e-waste. According to a new report, however, a more universal solution to a growing problem needs to be found.

E-waste comprises discarded electronic appliances, of which computers and mobile telephones are disproportionately abundant because of their short lifespan. The current global production of E-waste is estimated to be 20-25 million tonnes per year, with most E-waste being produced in Europe, the United States and Australasia. China, Eastern Europe and Latin America will become major E-waste producers in the next ten years. Miniaturisation and the development of more efficient cloud computing networks, where computing services are delivered over the internet from remote locations, may offset the increase in E-waste production from global economic growth and the development of pervasive new technologies.

Officials say Howard A. Schmidt, a longtime computer security executive who worked in the Bush administration and has extensive ties to the corporate world, has been chosen to take on the task of organizing and managing the nation's increasingly vulnerable digital networks.

Deciding between new or used computers? Here's a rundown on the benefits of buying refurbished equipment:

Brian Williams makes the right call to save the environment. Recycle electronics