With the proliferation of electronic products that not only continue to multiply in numbers but also quickly become obsolete, the accumulation of E-waste is a mounting, daunting problem. The toxic materials that make their way to landfills or incinerators from discarded electronic gadgets, phones, computers and other items rejected in favor of newer models include such harmful substances as lead, mercury and brominated flame-retardants.
Many of us already use the recycling envelopes included in printer inks to easily send the empty containers back to the manufacturer postage free. This is a great thing, but what about the hardware and equipment itself? Wired Magazine calls E-waste “The Dark Side of the Digital Age.” We are naturally prompted to ask, “What is anybody doing about it?” In fact, there is much happening on a worldwide basis in coming to grips with this problem. Here I will tell you about one of them in the state of Texas, home of much electronic manufacturing.
Happily, I can report on a terrific effort mounted by director Robin Schneider and her organization of tireless, devoted activists associated with Texas Campaign for the Environment. According to their website, TCE worked to pass HB 2741, known as the Texas Computer TakeBack law, through the Texas State Legislature in the Spring of 2007. TakeBack requires computer producers to offer free and convenient recycling of computer and monitors.
Read more about successes and strides the Texas Campaign for the Environment is making on the issue of electronic waste and many others HERE, HERE, and HERE. An enormous thank you to Robin and all at TCE for being some of the most positive, effective and indefatigable friends of the environment around.
By the way, the powerful image above is from The Dirt Project, from Common Ground Media in Santa Monica.
Beverly, thank you for this post! E-waste is a critical issue, and it’s wonderful to hear a success story!
That’s a terrifying image, by the way, at the top of your post.
Deborah
I agree, it’s scary. Is it photoshopped at all?
I used to work in a electronics recycling workshop, supervising volunteers. It is an awful lot of work to break down computers into recyclable parts (and they end up everywhere on the floor). An office printer/copier can take days. And with the way they break all the time, it’s no surprise that they pile up and no one wants to deal with their mess.
It also makes sense that no one wants to pay to get rid of the equipment that has already given them such a headache already. It’s a real victory that someone is being held accountable for their disposal. And if Texas can lead the way on this, perhaps the other states will be shamed into passing similar measures.
That image certainly speaks!
Thanks for the props, Beverly! That is an incredible image! Texas is one of five states that have passed producer takeback recycling laws just this year. There were already 3 on the books, so our momentum is definitely growing. Although the bill passed this year, we need to make sure that the state environmental agency fully implements it. To find out about sending a letter to the decision-makers, click here:http://www.texasenvironment.org/action_story.cfm?IID=411
Thanks, Robin. I hope the earthsky community will send letters to the decision makers on this very important topic!
Like any scrap recovery effort, you should be sure it is worthwhile, economically and environmentally.
In China, they remove the integrated circuits and junk most of the rest. The IC’s may be reusable.
Someone has probably done an analysis of a typical computer or stereo to see if usable material can be recovered. They probably found that the material is not really very hazardous! There is little need for mercury, et al in electronics. PCB’s went out 30 years ago. There is lead in the solder, but it is benign in metallic form. Is it worth the energy to package and ship the scrap material?
Does anyone know of a valid analysis?
I just found a new article on China’s e-waste situation. According to the Associated Press, China is producing one million tons of e-waste a year. See the article entitled “China’s E-Waste Nightmare Worsening” here:
http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp?cat=international&id=20071118/473fc6d0_3ca6_1552620071118-1893858927
Ladies and Gentlemen,Oh my oh my,Why did the group task themselves to gather more information and complete the remedy to the process,from what I glean here,only a partial fix was enabled. There are two processes to turn plastic back into oil and the metal parts do not have to be separated. One from a US firm and a Lady Chemist from India are the the providers of this technology that will remediate all of the plastic waste everywhere,The lady in Indias process also produces enough gases in the production to be self sustaining and it is a closed process,with the metal slag going to recycle and the coke produced going to steel production. They sell all of the bunker grade fuel produced to commercial interests for boiler use and you could also fractionate for lighter fuels. I will task and task until we place this process in all of this country and others.I have a great plan to completely remediate all of the waste we produce and make money in the process.I also believe in the process of requiring anyone who gets any money from the system to task in the process and all prisons and jails to work everyday at their facilities processing waste.We should be ashamed of having to spend an average of 55 thousand dolars a year to just warehouse some one who tasks against us.Rehabilitation should always include the work ethic process as we just teach people in our prisons to be lazy. I will also require no more fecal matter to be placed on fields and all garbage to go to gas production. Im tough minded as I am an Earth Scientist and have a great understanding of what is being done to our aquifer,our air and our food chain from the field bacterias problem that we have to pump antibiotics to the cattle to keep them alive because of that archaic and foolhardy process.Old papa here believes we should not request any fix,as in the computer trash problem without making sure we really fix the problem through to completion,and enhance our process and keep our people working all inclusive in any remediation .
This might be a bit off topic but the nice thing about buying new electronics is they have a warranty. You are buying something that has moving parts or electricity going to it so it has the potential of breaking, there is nothing you can do but replace it, that does not mean the company that made the product sucks, it means the individual item sucked!