The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) - Disposing of outdated electronics not easy
Filed under: Earth 911 - March 8, 2007
Penny Cockerell, Staff Writer
The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK)
March 8, 2007 Thursday
City Edition
Recycling hazardous materials properly protects environment
At some point, everything must go. But disposing of broken or outdated electronics is not as easy as throwing them in the trash. Below are some helpful tips from greenerchoices.org on how to dispose of electronic appliances the “green” way:
Televisions TV monitors with cathode ray tubes (CRTs), the technology used in non-flat screen TVs, contain 4 to 8 pounds of lead on average. Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors may also contain lead (though much less than CRTs), and older CRT models may contain cadmium. The EPA has identified electronic products as the largest single source of lead in municipal solid waste. Readers should be aware of these hazards when disposing of their sets.
Plastics used in the housing of many television sets contain flame retardants that are toxic and persist in the environment. Studies suggest they accumulate in household dust and in the food chain, and they have been detected in some fish.
When getting rid of the TV, consider these options: local community programs (ones in Oklahoma can be found at the Internet link below), retailer programs (places such as Best Buy and Office Depot have in-store collection events) and private recycling companies.
Computers
Instead of throwing away old computers, many options are available. One option is to donate it. Check with thrift stores and charities; many of them will take usable computers for groups and people who can’t afford their own. Web sites such as Earth911, TechSoup and freecycle.org can help point consumers in the right direction.
If donating is not an option, you can recycle your computer. Be sure to keep the following things in mind when recycling your computer:
Rechargeable batteries should be recycled to keep the heavy metals they contain out of landfills. The industry-funded Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. has more than 30,000 locations where you can drop off batteries for recycling. Those include many major retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, Staples and Target.
Used ink and toner cartridges are easier for companies to recycle because they can be refilled and resold at a profit. Local charities often hold printer cartridge and toner recycling drives, and Staples offers drop-off boxes in each of its stores. Consumers may also be able to profit from selling their old ink cartridges and toners to recyclers. Recyclers USA offers up to $3 per cartridge.
Before you recycle your machine, make sure that you rid it of all traces of personally identifiable information that could be used for identity theft. For more information, go online to www.greenerchoices.org and search for “protect your identity” to learn how.
Other electronics
A coalition of environmental groups has recently established a voluntary program known as the Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship. The recyclers agree not to export hazardous electronic components to developing countries, not to dispose of equipment in municipal landfills or incinerators not equipped to handle it, and not to use prison labor, among other things. The program is relatively new, but the number of companies signed on is growing.
One Response to “The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) - Disposing of outdated electronics not easy”
“When getting rid of the TV, consider these options: local community programs (ones in Oklahoma can be found at the Internet link below)…”
No Internet link on page!
Why does everyone incurrage people to send televisions etc. to the land fill?