Recycling Electronics
Now that North Carolina’s
tax-free weekend has come and gone and you’ve
upgraded to a new computer, you may be wondering what
to do with the old one. You could add
it to the growing pile of outdated electronics stashed
in the attic or garage, or put it out at your next yard
sale and try to sell it for a couple of bucks.
Much like other
outdated electronic products, used
computers are becoming an increasing part of the waste
stream as consumers attempt to keep up with advancing
technology. The rapid growth of consumer
electronic sales over the last 15 years and the relatively
short life span of these products are becoming a cause
of concern for both the consumer and the communities in
which they live. Some North Carolina communities
have curbside pickup for computers, but these programs
are few and far between.
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Not only must local
officials deal with the growing volume of discarded electronics,
but they also must manage the harmful components contained
within these devices. The
potential exists for heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium
and mercury, to leach into the environment and cause harm
to public health if electronics are managed improperly.
Two
bills addressing the management of discarded electronics
were being considered by the North Carolina General assembly
this legislative session: Senate
Bill 1030 and House Bill 1765. Although the two
bills approached the issue of managing end-of-life electronics
in different ways, both bills would help ensure funding
is available to address the costs associated with managing
discarded electronics.
Passage
of either bill would also likely result in increased recycling-related
employment in the state by spurring further growth in
the electronic waste recycling infrastructure.
At the time of this writing, both bills were currently
awaiting committee review before being heard by the full
House or Senate. If no action is taken during the 2005
session, these bills could be addressed during the 2006
legislative session.
North
Carolina may generate as much as 50,000 tons of all types
of electronics scrap annually from residential and commercial
sources. Some of these materials are stored
temporarily or reused. For those materials that are not
stored or reused, viable source reduction and recycling
options are increasingly available.
Reuse
of whole computer systems is the most environmentally
preferable, cost effective and well-established form of
electronics recovery. Reuse includes direct reuse,
upgrading, refurbishment, leasing, re-sale and donation
of usable electronics.
For companies that
demand only high-end computers, the useful life of their
equipment may be very short. Companies
can donate computers to public schools and other institutions
needing the equipment. Organizations
involved in this type of program typically accept computers
for free, refurbish them and place them in schools.
Depending on the value of the equipment, companies may
receive a tax deduction for their donation.
The EPA has joined
with electronics manufacturers to create the “Plug
Into eCycling” campaign (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin/)
to complement its “eCycling” program. These
programs offer a wealth of information about how to donate
or recycle computers.
Many electronics
can be donated locally. Check to make sure what
equipment is accepted before taking your usable products
to any of the groups mentioned below.
•
Goodwill, Salvation Army
and other traditional charities will accept certain electronic
devices for resale.
•
Functioning equipment may
be useful to community groups or schools.
• Functioning TVs, VCRs, stereos and CD players
may also be useful to local nonprofits, churches or schools.
•
Some local government recycling programs in North Carolina
have “swap shops” that help
citizens exchange usable items.
If your computer
is unusable and you need to find out where to recycle
computers locally, some North Carolina cities and counties
are beginning to provide services for electronics. Go
to http://www.p2pays.org/localgov/PAYT/ncwaste.asp
for a list of city and county recycling offices for information
in your area.
By
keeping computers and other electronics out of the waste
stream, you are helping keep potentially dangerous materials
out of North Carolina’s landfills and your old computer
could be finding its way to someone who could otherwise
not afford one.
Chris
Frazier works as a public information officer with the N.C. Division
of Pollution Prevention & Environmental Assistance. She has a B.A.
in Communications from N.C. State University.