Comments on: Electronic waste: what is anybody doing about it?

By: Beverly Spicer

Beverly Spicer — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:30:55 +0000

Wonderful! More and more people are getting into the clean-up and recycling business for e-waste. I say, the more the merrier! Thank you so much for checking in, Mr. Green!

By: Recycle Computer MR Green

Recycle Computer MR Green — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:29:24 +0000

Why not fix more things?

I have a computer recycling company, and yes we ship some parts off to be recycled, but we also have some electronic engineers on board that fix things and either give it to schools (most schools don’t mind computers that are a tad outdated) or other orginizations who need these. We fix printers, and all sorts of electronics as well. I stay in business by asking a fee for the things that are costly to recycle (has to be taken apart)and by selling some articles that still has a second hand value. But I love the part where we give back to the community and especially the fact that we’re helping to prevent these things from ending up in landfills. At the very least we push the recycling time of some electronics back a little, giving the government more time to step up to the plate, and diminishing the load on others who try and do the right thing.

Check out my company, I pick up people’s electronics to prevent them from throwing it in the garbage, because it’s more convenient:
http://www.computer-recycling-portland.com

People throwing electronics in the garbage really ticks me off, it’s irresponsible and selfish.

By: Online Electronics

Online Electronics — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:35:04 +0000

Great article. This is a huge issue that many, many people are not aware of and give absolutely no thought to. People need to be made aware of this problem as it is only going to continue to get worse and worse…

By: fred

fred — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:55:55 +0000

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!

By: Tom Hughes

Tom Hughes — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:55:20 +0000

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 .

By: Beverly Spicer

Beverly Spicer — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:41:05 +0000

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

By: George Curtis

George Curtis — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:36:56 +0000

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?

By: Beverly Spicer

Beverly Spicer — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:12:21 +0000

Thanks, Robin. I hope the earthsky community will send letters to the decision makers on this very important topic!

By: Robin Schneider

Robin Schneider — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 03:56:25 +0000

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

By: Riselocal.Com » Electronic waste: what is anybody doing about it?

Riselocal.Com » Electronic waste: what is anybody doing about it? — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:29:02 +0000

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