Loss of Windows 10 Support Could Create 1.7 Million Tons of E-Waste

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14—the same day as International E-Waste Day. Nearly half of all Windows computers still run Windows 10, and hundreds of millions of these devices do not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. Without Microsoft's continued support, those devices will lose access to security updates, eventually making them non-compliant with current cybersecurity standards.

Microsoft recently announced that individual users can get an extra year of support without paying the previously stated $30 fee, but this only postpones the problem by 12 months. Educational institutions can buy up to three more years of updates at a lower price, but businesses face higher costs, and the consumer extension is limited and not always available. As a result, individual PC users, schools, public organizations, and businesses may feel pressured to replace working hardware sooner than planned.

US PIRG says that ending Windows ...