Having a computer that is so out-of-date that it cannot be adapted or at least easily adapted to modern software can create problems for owners. Most states have laws against throwing computers away because they contain toxic metals and other potentially harmful sources of pollution. As a result, for fees ranging from a few to $50 or more, middlemen will take old computers and refurbish the ones that can be upgraded for resale and break others down for parts that can then be resold. In this way middlemen profit from reducing transaction costs for consumers faced with discarding old computers.

What would happen to the demand for the services of computer-recycling middlemen if computer manufacturers found a way to produce computers without pollution-causing components?