Tips for Electronic Waste Recycling for Earth Day, April 22
Filed under: Earth 911 - April 19, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Severn Williams
Earth911/Global Alerts 510-336-9566
April 19, 2007
Not sure what to do with that old computer or cell phone? Earth 911 provides local information for e-waste recycling
Los Angeles, CA – How many old computers, cell phones, used batteries and televisions do you have piling up in your garage? Many Americans are stockpiling these defunct electronic items because they are at a loss as to how to properly dispose of them. Earth Day, which takes place this Sunday, April 22, 2007, is a great time for all of us to clean out our closets and to move those old electronics back into the recycling food chain. Earth 911, which powers the nation’s largest environmental web-portal at Earth 911.org and the toll free national recycling hotline 1-800-CLEANUP, provides local recycling locations for electronic waste and more throughout the country. By entering a zip code, users can find a comprehensive list of recyclable items and locations that accept them in their community.
Electronic waste, or “e-waste” consists of unwanted computers, monitors, televisions, audio equipment, printers and other home electronic devices. Technological advances for all electronic equipment quickly render them obsolete. More than 20 million personal computers went out of use in 1998 alone. Only about 14% of those were reused or recycled, while most were disposed of or remain in storage.
“The good news is that more and more people know that tossing an old computer into the trash can is not the right thing to do. But people also end up hanging on to old equipment because they’re not sure where to take it,” said Mark Rappaport, Earth 911 Program Manager. “Earth 911 can help everyone recycle these items, which is one contribution we could all make this Earth Day.”
Earth 911’s 3 Most Common Recyclable Electronic Items
1.) Computers: In 2005, the National Safety Council estimated that 63 million computers became obsolete. It is estimated as of 2007 these stored computers will amount to about 500 million computers. Earth911.org and 1-800-CLEANUP has ideas about how to prolong the life of your computer as well as local computer donation and recycling locations in your community.
2.) Cellular phones: As of 2005, estimates indicate that over 130 million phones are disposed of every year. Many consumers store old cell phones because they are unsure of how to discard them. Earth 911 has information about why it’s important to keep cellular phones out of landfills and can help consumers properly dispose of older models.
3.) Batteries: Batteries are made with toxic substances that must be recycled to avoid land and ground water contamination. According to the U.S. EPA, despite the fact that batteries make up less than 1% of municipal solid waste, they are responsible for a large portion of toxic heavy metals found there. Most communities require batteries be recycled, but many of us don’t know where we can take our used batteries. Earth 911’s zip code locator feature can help people in every community throughout the U.S. to properly dispose of these toxic items.
Other common types of home-generated e-waste include printers, fax machines, scanners, copy machines, televisions, radios, microwave ovens, stereo system components, camcorders, digital cameras, telephones, hair dryers, electric typewriters, and video game consoles.
“If everyone followed the three ‘r’s with their e-waste, we could really make a difference for the Earth,” continued Rappaport. “Reduce by maintaining and keeping electronics for as long as possible by upgrading whenever possible instead of purchasing a brand-new item; reuse old computers by donating them or buying refurbished models; and recycle older items for recovery of metals, plastics, and other valuable materials. It’s that simple, and it can really go a long way in protecting our natural resources.”
Note to media: Earth 911 provides a wide array of expert spokespeople on a variety of environmental topics. To schedule interviews please contact Severn Williams at 510-336-9566.
About Earth 911
For over 16 years Earth 911 has been the nation’s most widely used environmental information network, providing local access to environmental resources for communities throughout the United States. By simply entering a ZIP Code, local environmental information is available free of charge through the national Web site www.Earth911.org and toll free recycling hotline 1-800-CLEANUP (in Spanish and English).
The vast array of environmental resources and information available through Earth 911 includes:
• Recycling Center Locations
• Electronics Donation and Disposal Locations
• Safe Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Locations
• Energy Conservation Tips
• Tips on what you can do to combat Global Warming
• Green Shopping Tips
• The benefits of Composting and How-To Guide
• Local Beach Water Quality Alerts
• Business Recycling Resource Section
• Kids / Environmental Education Resources
Earth 911 provides vast economies of scale by consolidating thousands of local public notification systems into one. To keep the system current, tens of thousands of government coordinators around the country have the ability to update their community-specific recycling information. Each month over 10 million pages are viewed on the website and 30,000 calls are received on the phone system.
Earth 911 provides these services through innovative public-private partnerships. Earth 911 partners with companies and industries as well as the EPA and other federal and local governments to educate businesses and individuals about the growing concerns of our planet.
Earth 911 is a recipient of the Al Gore Hammer Award for Environmental Excellence.
For more information, contact Severn Williams at 510-336-9566.
3 Responses to “Tips for Electronic Waste Recycling for Earth Day, April 22”
I have looked all over the net and at many recycling websites, but none say where I can recycle old hairdryers or cordless or corded phones. Please tell me where I can send them. I am willing to pay postage to keep them out of the landfill. My community does not have an e-recycling program. Thank you.
I live in the Palatine,IL 60067 area and was wondering if there is anywhere to dispose of old corded phones?
We have recently updated our entire phone system and have about 15 business phones to get rid of and some old office equipment is there somewhare to get rid of these without filling a landfill? We are located in Morrisville, PA 19067