Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling
In the past decade, technological advances in electronic data management and communications have spurred economic growth and improved people’s lives in countless ways. However, our growing dependence on electronic products both at home and in the workplace has given rise to a new environmental challenge: electronics waste.
A recent study by EPA shows that electronics already make up approximately 1 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. Research completed in Europe shows that electronics waste is growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste. To the extent possible, electronics waste should be prevented, and older electronics should be reused and recycled.
Why Prevent Electronics Waste?
End-of-life electronics: Are a fast-growing waste stream. Over 20 million personal computers became obsolete in 1998. Only 13 percent were reused or recycled. Many municipalities are facing the dilemma of what to do with growing amounts of retired electronics. Rapid changes in computer technology and the emergence of new electronic gadgets exacerbate the problem.
Can contain hazardous materials. There are hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium, in circuit boards, batteries, and color cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Televisions and CRT monitors contain four pounds of lead, on average (the exact amount depends on size and make). Mercury from electronics has been cited as a leading source of mercury in municipal waste. In addition, brominated flame retardants are commonly added to plastics used in electronics. If improperly handled, these toxics can be released into the environment through incinerator ash or landfill leachate.
Are made with valuable materials. In 1998, over 112 million pounds of materials were recovered from electronics, including steel, glass, and plastic, as well as precious metals. Reusing and recycling the raw materials from end-of-life electronics conserves natural resources and avoids the air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing new products.
How To Reduce Electronics Waste
This fact sheet provides information on ways you can reduce the environmental impact of electronics use and disposal through reuse, donation, recycling, and buying greener electronic products.
Reusing and Donating Electronics
Preventing waste in the first place is usually preferable to any waste management option...including recycling. Donating electronics for reuse extends the lives of valuable products and keeps them out of the waste management system for a longer time. Reuse, in addition to being an environmentally preferable alternative, also benefits society. By donating your used electronics, you allow schools, non-profit organizations, and lower-income families to use equipment that they otherwise could not afford.
As a household or a business, you may be able to take advantage of tax incentives for computer equipment donations. The 21st Century Classrooms Act for Private Technology Investment encourages large companies to donate computer equipment to public and private schools. When donating equipment to a non-profit organization, inquire about documentation that can be applied toward your income tax return.
Before donating your computer or other electronics, make sure the equipment is reusable. Donation organizations have limited resources and employees to diagnose and repair hardware. A functional, working system, especially with monitor, wiring, and software licenses, is a lot more useful and requires less upgrading than a non-working, incomplete computer. Check to see what the donation organization’s minimum computer requirements are. Donation organizations may not accept (or may charge a fee for) older, less useful equipment.
The most appropriate donation organization to handle a computer can vary from area to area. In some cases, the most viable donation organization may be a charity, but in other areas, the appropriate donation organization may be the local school district or materials exchange.
Recycling Electronics
If donation for reuse or repair is not a viable option, households and businesses can send their used electronics for recycling. Recycling electronics avoids pollution and the need to extract valuable and limited virgin resources. It also reduces the energy used in new product manufacturing.
A growing number of municipalities are offering computer and electronics collections as part of household hazardous waste collections or special events. In addition, public and private organizations have emerged that accept computers and other electronics for recycling. Depending on where you live and the amount of equipment you have, the best recycling option may be a county recycling drop-off center, TV repair shop, charitable organization, electronics recycling company, or even your local electronics retailer, winch may collect used products and send them to a recycler.
Some electronics manufacturers are accepting household electronics for recycling. In some cases, these services are provided free-of-charge. Asset management and recovery programs have been available to major corporations and large purchasers of electronic equipment for quite some time. Now, electronics manufacturers are beginning to offer similar services for households and small businesses.
Buying Green
Environmentally responsible electronics use involves not only proper end-of-life disposition of obsolete equipment, but also purchasing new equipment that has been designed with environmental attributes. Think about tins when purchasing new equipment, and ask your retailer or electronics supplier about environmentally preferable electronics. Households, companies, and governmental organizations can encourage electronics manufacturers to design greener electronics by purchasing computers and other electronics with environmentally preferable attributes and by requesting takeback options at the time of purchase.
Look for electronics that:
• Are made with fewer toxic constituents
• Use recycled content
• Are energy efficient (e.g., showing the “Energy Star” label)
• Are designed for easy upgrading or disassembly
• Utilize minimal packaging
• Offer leasing or takeback options
• Have been recognized by independent certification groups (such as the Swedish TCO or Blue Angel) as environmentally preferable.
Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling
In the past decade, technological advances in electronic data management and communications have spurred economic growth and improved people’s lives in countless ways. However, our growing dependence on electronic products both at home and in the workplace has given rise to a new environmental challenge: electronics waste.
A recent study by EPA shows that electronics already make up approximately 1 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. Research completed in Europe shows that electronics waste is growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste. To the extent possible, electronics waste should be prevented, and older electronics should be reused and recycled.
Why Prevent Electronics Waste?
End-of-life electronics: Are a fast-growing waste stream. Over 20 million personal computers became obsolete in 1998. Only 13 percent were reused or recycled. Many municipalities are facing the dilemma of what to do with growing amounts of retired electronics. Rapid changes in computer technology and the emergence of new electronic gadgets exacerbate the problem.
Can contain hazardous materials. There are hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium, in circuit boards, batteries, and color cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Televisions and CRT monitors contain four pounds of lead, on average (the exact amount depends on size and make). Mercury from electronics has been cited as a leading source of mercury in municipal waste. In addition, brominated flame retardants are commonly added to plastics used in electronics. If improperly handled, these toxics can be released into the environment through incinerator ash or landfill leachate.
Are made with valuable materials. In 1998, over 112 million pounds of materials were recovered from electronics, including steel, glass, and plastic, as well as precious metals. Reusing and recycling the raw materials from end-of-life electronics conserves natural resources and avoids the air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing new products.
How To Reduce Electronics Waste
This fact sheet provides information on ways you can reduce the environmental impact of electronics use and disposal through reuse, donation, recycling, and buying greener electronic products.
Reusing and Donating Electronics
Preventing waste in the first place is usually preferable to any waste management option...including recycling. Donating electronics for reuse extends the lives of valuable products and keeps them out of the waste management system for a longer time. Reuse, in addition to being an environmentally preferable alternative, also benefits society. By donating your used electronics, you allow schools, non-profit organizations, and lower-income families to use equipment that they otherwise could not afford.
As a household or a business, you may be able to take advantage of tax incentives for computer equipment donations. The 21st Century Classrooms Act for Private Technology Investment encourages large companies to donate computer equipment to public and private schools. When donating equipment to a non-profit organization, inquire about documentation that can be applied toward your income tax return.
Before donating your computer or other electronics, make sure the equipment is reusable. Donation organizations have limited resources and employees to diagnose and repair hardware. A functional, working system, especially with monitor, wiring, and software licenses, is a lot more useful and requires less upgrading than a non-working, incomplete computer. Check to see what the donation organization’s minimum computer requirements are. Donation organizations may not accept (or may charge a fee for) older, less useful equipment.
The most appropriate donation organization to handle a computer can vary from area to area. In some cases, the most viable donation organization may be a charity, but in other areas, the appropriate donation organization may be the local school district or materials exchange.
Recycling Electronics
If donation for reuse or repair is not a viable option, households and businesses can send their used electronics for recycling. Recycling electronics avoids pollution and the need to extract valuable and limited virgin resources. It also reduces the energy used in new product manufacturing.
A growing number of municipalities are offering computer and electronics collections as part of household hazardous waste collections or special events. In addition, public and private organizations have emerged that accept computers and other electronics for recycling. Depending on where you live and the amount of equipment you have, the best recycling option may be a county recycling drop-off center, TV repair shop, charitable organization, electronics recycling company, or even your local electronics retailer, winch may collect used products and send them to a recycler.
Some electronics manufacturers are accepting household electronics for recycling. In some cases, these services are provided free-of-charge. Asset management and recovery programs have been available to major corporations and large purchasers of electronic equipment for quite some time. Now, electronics manufacturers are beginning to offer similar services for households and small businesses.
Buying Green
Environmentally responsible electronics use involves not only proper end-of-life disposition of obsolete equipment, but also purchasing new equipment that has been designed with environmental attributes. Think about tins when purchasing new equipment, and ask your retailer or electronics supplier about environmentally preferable electronics. Households, companies, and governmental organizations can encourage electronics manufacturers to design greener electronics by purchasing computers and other electronics with environmentally preferable attributes and by requesting takeback options at the time of purchase.
Look for electronics that:
• Are made with fewer toxic constituents
• Use recycled content
• Are energy efficient (e.g., showing the “Energy Star” label)
• Are designed for easy upgrading or disassembly
• Utilize minimal packaging
• Offer leasing or takeback options
• Have been recognized by independent certification groups (such as the Swedish TCO or Blue Angel) as environmentally preferable.
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