E-Recycling

(Electronics Recycling)

By Bob Messinger

News reports of the recent Christmas shopping season indicated that purchasing was slow. That is - except in the electronics area. We love technology. I read a study that reported we average three televisions per house and that about 50% of us have a computer at home. There isn’t a business, large or small, that doesn’t utilize at least one computer. On top of that, only heaven knows how many sound systems, toys, hand held games, cell phones, and other electronic devises we use. The totals are staggering. And the life span on many of these items is relatively short since there is always something newer, faster, better. It’s estimated that by 2004 there will be over 315 million obsolete computers in the US. Three-quarters of all computers ever bought in the country are currently stored in people’s attics, basements, office closets and pantries. Only about 14% of these old computers are recycled or donated, the rest are dumped, incinerated, shipped as waste, or stored.Yes Virginia, e-waste (electronic waste) is becoming an issue. One reason is simply the amount of e-waste that must be disposed of. Landfills and incinerators are already being strained and this only lowers their capacity. And then there is a concern for the hazardous material that e-waste contains. Printed circuit boards use heavy metals such as Antimony, Silver, Chromium, Zinc, lead, Tin and Copper. Computer batteries contain cadmium. Brominated flame-retardants are used in circuit boards, cables, and plastic casings. PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) is used to coat copper cables and plastic computer casings. Mercury switches have been used and some older capacitors and transformers even contain PCB’s. Television screens and computer monitors present another problem. These Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) contain leaded glass. The glass is leaded to protect the viewer from radiation much like wearing a leaded apron when you get an x-ray. Improper disposal of these items, like any hazardous waste, can lead to public health risks and environmental damage.It is my understanding that as of now, New York State views e-waste disposal much like medical waste. While they recognize it as hazardous, they consider the volume of the disposed item before requiring special treatment. For example, you can throw a band-aid used at home into your regular trash. But, a hospital would have to dispose of that same band-aid at a special medical waste facility. The state views your old TV or computer much the same way. An individual is allowed to dump his or her electrical item (depending on local solid waste policy) in a lined landfill or incinerator but a large generator, like an electronics company, is required to use a hazardous waste disposal site. The EPA and some states are looking more closely at this issue. California (a state that tends to lead on environmental issues) and Massachusetts have passed legislation that bans all CRTs (cathode ray tubes) from municipal solid waste landfills and incinerators. In New York State, Assemblyman William Colton, Chairman of the NYS Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management, has proposed similar legislation. At the annual meeting of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling Assemblyman Colton spoke of his interest in this topic and he has hosted a series of roundtable discussions with state and local government officials, environmentalists, electronics recyclers, and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) in an attempt to find workable solutions for electronics disposal. New York Rural Water attended one of these discussions at the Rochester Institute of Technology and was able to learn a great deal more about this complex issue. We also attended an Electronics Collection Training Workshop conducted by the Northeast Recycling Council held this past October in Schenectady. That session reviewed a national study on electronics recycling and helped point out methods for e-waste collection, recycling, and disposal.While e-recycling rates remain low, many localities have run programs. In fact, the NERC study showed activity in over 28 states and recent collection programs have taken place within NYS with good results. Places like Madison County, Oneida-Herkimer County, Tompkins County, Chautauqua County, Onondaga County, and others have seen excellent response to their events. There is, and will continue to be, a need for this kind of recycling/reuse. We must begin in earnest to find ways for reusing old computers, recycling what we can’t reuse, and properly disposing of the rest.If your community would like to establish some kind of e-recycling program here are some thoughts from the NERC guideline.

1. Why are you doing it?
1. Is it to meet regulations, increase recycling rates, increase solid waste diversion, encourage reuse or charitable donations, remove toxics/heavy metals from the solid waste stream, or to provide job-training opportunity.
2. What will you collect?
1. CRT’s (TVs and Monitors), anything with a circuit board (includes VCRs, stereos, radios, cell phones, fax machines, copy machines, camcorders), anything with a plug (like air conditioners, dehumidifiers, microwaves, lamps, etc.)
3. Who will the program serve?
1. Residents, municipal buildings, schools, local institutions, local businesses.
4. What legal requirements must be satisfied?
1. Federal, State, and Local
5. Who will manage the program?
1. Local government, volunteer organizations, contracted business.
6. Are there any social goals for the program?
1. Job training, provide computers for low-income families or local non-profit agencies, supporting a local business.
7. Will e-waste be disposed of properly?
1. There are many legitimate operators but there are a few unscrupulous ones.
8. How do you minimize cost and pay for it?
1. Cost of PR, transportation, equipment, staff, etc.
2. Local government, a fee system, volunteer group or supporting business, state or federal aid may fund the program.

There is no doubt that electronic waste is here to stay. Advanced computers, flat screen monitors, and high-definition television sets will only add to this waste stream. Any long-term solution will be complex. Asking manufacturers to solve the problem could prove difficult especially since many of them are located overseas. But we could ask that they consider improving upon the use of hazardous material or using material that might be recycled in their designs. Collection programs must be analyzed. Could a system where the customer pays a small fee at the point of purchase to insure proper disposal be established? Should government get more involved with regulation and funding assistance for collection? What should the manufacturer and the consumer be responsible for? These are just a few of the many unanswered questions regarding e-waste.

In the short term, there are environmentally safe disposal methods currently available. If you or your community is considering this issue and would like some help establishing an e-recycling program, please give me a call. New York Rural Water will happily help you construct a cost effective method for electronics disposal.