Give people sensible ways to recycle their e-waste
By Joan Crooks, Executive Director of Earth Share organization Washington Environmental Council, a statewide advocacy organization based in Seattle.
What's more difficult than choosing a new computer? Figuring out how to get rid of the old one.
If you're anything like me, you have an outdated computer or television stashed away in a closet or the attic because you don't know what to do with it. And we're not alone. Millions of unwanted computers, monitors and TVs are piling up in homes in Washington state, and that number is growing as consumers snap up the newest versions of their favorite technology. Enough computers and televisions become obsolete in the United States every day that if lined up they would span 500 football fields. And this turns into millions of tons of "e-waste" each year.
E-waste is toxic waste. A typical computer monitor contains 5 pounds of lead and, taken together, the millions of computers that have or will become obsolete in the U.S. include more than 1 billion pounds of lead. An estimated 70 percent of the heavy metals in local landfills comes from electronics. From mercury to cadmium to flame retardants, e-waste contains a toxic brew of chemicals that our landfills cannot safely contain.
Once in the environment, these poisons are dangerous to our families and our communities. Unfortunately, electronics are the fastest-growing segment of our municipal waste stream -- expanding at a rate almost three times faster than other types of garbage.
For this reason, King County this month joined Snohomish County and banned e-waste from county landfills. It's now not just a bad idea, but also illegal to throw old computers, televisions and cellphones into the trash.
So, if we can't throw it away, what do we do with all of this e-waste?
The solution to this growing problem is straightforward -- give people a simple, free and safe way of recycling their old electronics.
Pilot programs have shown that consumers want to recycle e-waste if it's convenient and inexpensive. Unfortunately, Washington has no statewide program to ensure the safe recycling of this equipment, and more than 90 percent of e-waste is either stored (in basements, garages, offices, closets and homes) or tossed out with the trash.
Although local governments and retailers have worked to encourage recycling, such programs aren't widespread and can be costly for consumers, who must pay up to $20 to responsibly recycle a typical computer and monitor.
State lawmakers and the governor will have a chance to resolve this dilemma early next year. The solution lies with the very companies that are riding the wave of the high-tech revolution. The innovative efforts that have brought us these products must now be harnessed to help us to recycle them safely. Some companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, have recognized this need and are already working to promote the recycling of their products.
The environmental community is working with business interests to bring to the Legislature a bill that taps into this ingenuity by establishing a statewide program where manufacturers, consumers and retailers share the responsibility of keeping e-waste pollution out of our environment.
We all would have a role to play: Manufacturers would establish and pay for the program, consumers would turn in their old electronics for recycling, and many retailers would serve as collection points. The beauty of this approach is that it links electronics recycling with electronics manufacturing, allowing companies to save money if they reduce their use of toxic materials.
We all enjoy the benefits of new technology. And as our generation buys the next wave of computers, monitors and TVs, what we do with the old ones will leave a legacy for our kids. I'd like to be able to tell my 4-year-old son that I was part of the generation that turned the toxic tide of e-waste and provided a cleaner, safer future.
Now it's time for all of us � manufacturers and consumers alike � to share in the responsibility of ensuring that today's e-commerce doesn't end up tomorrow's e-waste.
This article is republished from the Seattle Times:
Give people sensible ways to recycle their e-waste
