Electronic Waste Increase Calls For Smarter Recycling Habits
San Bernardino, CA—Zero Waste Communities, a coalition of 16 cities and towns in San Bernardino County dedicated to educating the community on environmental issues, predicts a large amount of electronic waste will be generated in the first quarter of 2008, due in part to the replacement of old electronics with newer models from the holiday season.
“E-waste constitutes any discarded electronics, from televisions to computers, cell phones to stereos,” said Olivia Sanchez, Project Manager for Zero Waste Communities. “Each holiday season, millions of consumers receive brand new electronics, and trash their old gadgets. Unfortunately, they fail to realize the harmful effects that electronics and their components can have on our environment.”
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. consumers will retire two million tons of e-waste.
Electronic waste can exude hazardous toxins and carcinogens into our solid waste system, such as mercury. Even a small amount of these hazardous chemicals can contaminate an area’s soil or water supply. Additionally, these electronics take up valuable space in landfills.
Zero Waste Communities is urging consumers to first assess whether their old electronics can be reused. If the electronic equipment is totally defunct, recycling is the next best option.
The materials that make up these electronics can be used in alternative ways. For example, recyclers can separate gold, copper, and other valuable material from a broken down computer. Earth911.com asserts that 99 percent of all materials from electronics can be recycled or reused in a different capacity, or can be sold off.
Zero Waste Communities is available to help San Bernadino residents recycle their electronics properly, and to answer questions they might have related to any environmental issues. To find electronics recycling programs and events in your area, use the recycling locator at the top of this page.
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andrew
posted on January 31st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
i just became a certified recycling coordinator in the state of new jersey and i am extreamly pleased with the ongoing progress most states and major manufacture’s are doing to help promote a greener environment.
spuffler
posted on February 20th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
As a consumer, I’d prefer to have products that are not obsoleted. Ever. Consider the current paradigm in Detroit… autos are not designed with rules for longevity or for ease of servicing. Autos are not designed from components that were existing the year prior (40 years ago, 10 different starters covered 90% of the US autos, now 3 times that many for just GM). This modus operandi exists in most consumer goods. More, the technical details of the goods are now, more than ever, held as patented trade secrets or simply left undocumented. Some components of consumer goods are never promoted into the after the sale service realms and thus products are not repairable for more than a few years. A few examples: A rear window wiper control module for a 1993 Dodge Caravan was not released into aftermarket suppliers as of 2000 AND I heard that Chrysler attempted to shutdown outfits that did not stop marketing reverse engineered versions. A dishwasher was declared unrepairable because a wire harness failed and repair parts were not available. I want serviceability, and commonality and component reuse. Continued usage trumps recycling EVERY time.