Dumping Low-Tech Electronics the Green Way.

Since 2004, 18 states and New York City have approved laws that make manufacturers responsible for recycling electronics, and similar statutes were introduced in 13 other states this year. The laws are intended to prevent a torrent of toxic and outdated electronic equipment television sets, computers, monitors, printers, fax machines  from ending up in landfills where they can leach chemicals into groundwater and potentially pose a danger to public health.Consumer response to recycling has been enormous in states where the laws have taken effect.

States that pioneered the electronic recycling laws report that consumer participation remains strong over time. Maine, which was one of the first to approve such a law, in 2004, says it collected nearly four pounds of waste per person last year.

For those who just want to know where and how to get of those low-tech electronics, here are six ways:

1. Check the Electronic Takeback Coalitions comprehensive chart of E-Waste laws and pending legislation by state. There’s also a chart comparing what can be recycled in each state, and a detailed description of each law. (pdf links)
2. Find listings of local e-waste collection sites at E-Cycling Central and Mygreenelectronics. Many are municipal facilities that will only accept waste from that city or town’s residents, but private e-cyclers and others are listed as well. Other helpful information services are listed here.
3. Look for hazardous waste collection days in your community. Many cities and towns sponsor these for their residents to dispose of electronics, appliances and household chemicals, through recycling companies.
4. Check with TV and electronics manufacturers on their programs. There are listings of these services at Mygreenelectronics and Green Electronics.com. Sony has free take-back sites throughout the country. MRM, a joint venture between Panasonic, Toshiba and Sharp, offers 250 locations for recycling and is adding more. Samsung has a program for Samsung products (takeback of other brands are charged a fee.) Others, like Dell and Apple, offer free recycling with the purchase of a new product. HP and others have trade-in programs.
5. Some retail stores offer recycling programs, though many come with shopping incentive caveats. Best Buy will now take many electronics at all its U.S. retail stores, though there is a $10 charge for TVs 32 inches and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops, offset by $10 Best Buy gift card. Office Depot is offering free recycling with Zip Express service. And Staples frequently runs recycling promotions.
6. You can ensure a TV or other device will be recycled or reused when you purchase it, through TechForward’s buy-back program that locks in a value for your product upon its purchase and depending on how long you keep it. The product is then resold, reused or recycled responsibly.

For more information check out the following articles:

A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics

Green Technology 6 Ways to Get Rid of Your Old TV