Electronics End-of-life Management:
What’s the Current Status of Consumer Electronics?
What Can We Do About the E-Waste Problem?
Presented to the
Regional Meeting of the
Federated Garden Clubs of New England
September 22, 2009
By
Laura S. Dillman
Suffield Garden Club
Suffield, Connecticut
This guide is just the tip of the iceberg for information related to the topic of e-waste. There are far more resources than those contained herein. This report is meant to provide an overview of the e-waste problem and prompt further research and action on your part.
Because we encompass six states with different regulations and resources, I’ve tried to make the information as broad as possible. I have included information specific to Connecticut in certain sections and encourage you to find similar information for your state.
As with any information available on the Internet, over time some web sites and hyperlinks may no longer be functional. Information may change, be deleted or become outdated.
I hope you will find this information helpful. I welcome your feedback, corrections and suggestions for other resources. I’d be happy to publish an updated edition in the future. Please email me at dillman4@cox.net or call me at 860-668-4606.
What’s the Current Status of Consumer Electronics?.................................................................... 2
Some Statistics................................................................................................................................. 2
What happens to all this e-waste?............................................................................................. 2
Why is dumping in landfills a concern?..................................................................................... 3
What are the States doing about e-Waste?............................................................................. 4
What happens to the 12-18% of e-waste that doesn’t go to US landfills?.................... 6
What Can We Do About the E-Waste Problem?.............................................................................. 7
How can we recycle responsibly?............................................................................................. 7
1. Use Accredited Electronics Recyclers!.................................................................................. 7
2. Use Manufacturers’ Take-Back Programs............................................................................ 9
Computers, TVs and other electronics................................................................................... 9
Additional Sources of information on TV TakeBacks.......................................................... 9
Wireless Phones, Smartphones, Batteries & Accessories............................................... 10
3. Give Items to Participating Retailers.................................................................................... 10
4. Donate Items to Charities for Re-use.................................................................................. 11
5. Swap Electronics for Something Else or Just Give Them Away.................................... 11
6. Use State Programs................................................................................................................ 12
What else can we do to alleviate the problem of e-waste?............................................. 12
1. Educate yourself..................................................................................................................... 12
2. Buy environmentally-friendly electronics in the first place.............................................. 13
What are the Opportunities for Garden Clubs to facilitate e-recycling?................... 13
1. Partner w/ municipalities for collection days...................................................................... 13
2. Encourage the use of responsible recyclers...................................................................... 14
3. Educate the public about existing recycling programs..................................................... 14
4. Advocate at the state level for responsible recycling and recyclers............................... 14
5. Observe and promote America Recycles Day – Nov. 15, 2009....................................... 14
A Few Last Thoughts.................................................................................................................... 14
Electronics End-of-life Management
# of electronic products per American household
1980 = 3
2009 = 25 (Was only 24 in 2008 according to the Consumer Electronics Association.)
(Source: NY Times, 9/20/09)
2006
90% of Americans owned a computer, peripheral device or cell phone
(Source: Consumer Reports 2006 E-Waste Survey)
Americans removed more than 300 million electronic devices from their households.
(Source: US Environmental Protection Agency http://www.hcfa.house.gov/110/GAO_Aug2008.pdf page 5.)
2009
Estimated 400 million units (4 billion pounds) of obsolete electronics are scrapped
(Source: Basel Action Network, http://www.ban.org)
The US EPA estimates that electronic waste is growing 2-3 times faster than any other waste stream.
(Source: US Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/region1/solidwaste/electronic/index.html)
2007: 82% dumped in landfills
18% “recycled” [See section- What happens to electronics that don’t go to landfills?]
2009: Basel Action Network (BAN) estimates the number as high as 87.5%.
Compare these numbers to recycling for the following products in 2007:
Plastic HDPE milk & water bottles 28.0% were recycled
Glass containers 28.1
Tires 34.8
Plastic soft drink bottles 36.6
Aluminum beer & soda cans 48.6
Paper & paperboard 54.5
Yard trimmings 64.1
Steel cans 64.3
Car batteries 99.1
Related Reading:
Excellent, eye-opening information on consumer habits and attitudes is contained in Consumer Reports: E-Waste Survey 2006:
http://www.werecycle.com/docs/Ewaste_survey_20061.pdf
Electronics account for only 3% of solid waste but 72% of hazardous waste.
Toxic ingredients in electronics pose threats to human health and the environment.
Lead
Found in cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), or picture tubes, in older TVs (up to 8 lbs) and computer monitors (4 lbs), circuit boards in all electronics equipment including computers, cell phones, electronic toys, etc.
· Lead can delay or damage neurological development in children.
· Can leach from landfills or contaminate drinking-water supplies.
Mercury
Found in lamps that illuminate laptop screens, most flat-panel TVs, cameras. Also in some older batteries and switches.
· Can cause brain damage.
Brominated flame retardants
Found in plastic housings of PCs, monitors and TVs, in circuit boards and other plastics and resins.
· May cause liver and thyroid toxicity.
· Can be released into the environment when computer parts are heated or shredded.
Cadmium
Found in nickel-cadmium batteries, a phosphor in older TVs.
· Human carcinogen.
· May be released by heat and incineration.
Beryllium
Found in finger connectors on circuit boards and in cell phones.
o Probable human carcinogen.
(Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, Government Accountability Office, Basel Action Network, Electronics TakeBack Coalition)
The trend nationwide is toward Shared Responsibility among manufacturers, government, retailers and consumers for disposal of e-waste.
[An excellent explanation of Shared Responsibility can be found at http://www.ctrecyclers.org/ewaste_factsheet.pdf.]
With Shared Responsibility, the cost of recycling is borne by the manufacturer as mandated by state laws. Only about 20 states & NYC have mandatory electronics recycling programs. http://www.ecyclingresource.org/ContentPage.aspx?Pageid=36&ParentID=0
- Most assess a registration fee to manufacturers to pay for transportation and recycling of Covered Electronic Devices (CEDs) plus state program administrative costs.
- CEDs typically are computers, monitors and TVs
- Applies to households only
- New England states with mandatory electronics recycling:
Maine
Manufacturers of TVs and computer monitors are responsible for the costs of processing their branded products that are delivered to consolidators.
July 2006 E-Waste law passed:
o Municipalities must assume responsibility for providing residents with a system for delivering their unwanted TVs and CRTs to consolidation centers.
o CEDs - TVs, computers, monitors (incl. laptops & digital picture frames)
Law amended 2009:
Rhode Island
Signed into law June 27, 2008, establishes a manufacturer-financed system for the collection, transportation and recycling, and reuse of CEDs in Rhode Island.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm
Connecticut
Law passed in 2007 requires manufacturers of TVs, laptops, desktops, and computer monitors to responsible for the costs of processing their branded products that are delivered to recyclers as of January 1, 2009.
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2714&Q=397482
Proposed CT state program requirements under review
(Source: Hartford Courant, 9/24/09,
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-electronics-recycle-0924.artsep24,0,5701931.story)
DEP looking into adding printers
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2714&Q=397480
Jan 1, 2010
Electronics manufacturers not registered will be prohibited from selling in CT.
January 1, 2011
Disposal ban for all covered devices goes into effect, meaning no CEDs may be placed in the trash. Municipalities will be required to provide convenient and accessible collection of CEDs.
- NE States with landfill disposal prohibitions but no mandatory e-recycling:
Vermont
Regulation bans CRTs from disposal in landfills. There are no standards for collection and transportation of other types of e-waste. Some municipalities and waste districts in Vermont have enacted bans on the disposal of various electronics products in regular trash.
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/HHW/Electronics.htm
Massachusetts
Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) from television and computer monitors were prohibited from all Massachusetts solid waste disposal facilities effective April 1, 2000.
http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/electron.htm
New Hampshire
Law bans video display devices from NH landfills and incinerators as of July 1, 2007. Video display devices defined as a "visual display component of a television or a computer, whether separate or integrated with a computer central processing unit/box, and includes a cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display, gas plasma, digital light processing, or other image projection technology, greater than 4 inches when measured diagonally, and its case, interior wires, and circuitry."
http://des.nh.gov/media/pr/2006/may/060526.htm
- All NE states are members of the Northeast States Electronics Challenge:
- Voluntary program that encourages state, regional, and local governments, including schools and other public entities, to:
1) Purchase greener electronic products.
2) Reduce the impacts of electronic products during use.
3) Manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way.
- Managed by the Northeast Recycling Council Inc., with funding from the EPA.
Roughly 5% is actually recycled for reuse by community organizations and nonprofits.
Let’s do the math!
400 million units x 5% = 20 million units
4 billion pounds x 5% = 200 million pounds
Less than 15% is actually recycled into material used in new products.
(Source: http://www.recycleapc.com/recycling.htm)
400 million units x 15% = 60 million units
4 billion pounds x 15% = 600 million pounds
80% is exported to developing countries where it is processed in primitive conditions, severely endangering the environment, workers and communities.
400 million units x 80% = 320 million units
4 billion pounds x 80% = 3.2 billion pounds
Last August (2008), the US Government Accountability Office released a scathing investigative report declaring that exported U.S. e-waste was often disposed of unsafely in countries such as China and India.
China, in particular, has been at the center of much of the world’s attention regarding electronic waste export issues since 2002.
(Source: US Gov’t Accountability Office report, Aug. 2008 http://www.hcfa.house.gov/110/GAO_Aug2008.pdf page 9)
Once in China, most disassembly happens “by hand,” where workers use primitive means in workshops of seven or eight employees. In Guiyu, the study found, more than 300 groups were active in electronic waste recovery efforts. Open burning and acid baths to recover metals are commonplace, and the residual toxic waste from such operations is simply discarded, allowing pollutants to seep into the ground and water sources.
Recent studies have highlighted the dangers of working and living near these facilities, particularly for children. A study conducted by a Chinese medical school and published in 2007 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that children in Guiyu had lead levels in their blood that were more than 50 percent higher than the limit for lead exposure set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. The study also found that lead levels among children in Guiyu were also more than 50 percent higher than among children in a neighboring village where used electronics were not dismantled. http://www.hcfa.house.gov/110/GAO_Aug2008.pdf page 22
Related Reading:
USA's trashed TVs, computer monitors can make toxic mess
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/environment/2008-12-29-environmental-toxic-waste-watchdogs_N.htm
Following the Trail of Toxic E-Waste
The May 2008 CBS episode of 60 Minutes dubbed Guiyu, China, "one the most toxic places on Earth," where tests have shown 7 of 10 children have high levels of lead in their bodies.
(Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/06/60minutes/main4579229_page2.shtml
If you haven’t seen this episode, it is definitely worth your time. A disturbing eye-opener highlighting the imperative for responsible e-waste disposal.)
Where Gadgets Go to Die: Facility Strips, Rips and Recycles
Article and photographic tour of the recycling process at one facility.
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news/2009/03/gallery_ewaste_recycling
Where Old Gadgets Go to Breathe New Life
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121856900180434119.html
There are 300-500 recyclers of products in the US.
E-Stewards Certification
Note: This is a recent program created by the Basel Action Network so many recyclers will not yet be certified.
The e-Stewards recyclers are a group of leading North American electronics recyclers and asset managers who have been qualified as upholding the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility for the recycling and reuse of electronic equipment. They have been accredited by an independent 3rd-party.
By March 1st, 2010, accredited certifying bodies will independently assure conformity to the revised e-Stewards Standard. These criteria include no toxic e-waste dumped in landfills or incinerators, exported to developing countries, or sent to prison labor operations, and accountability for the entire recycling chain of toxic materials.
www.e-stewards.org
Current E-Steward Recyclers in New England
Connecticut
WeRecycle! LLC, Meriden, CT
- One of the e-Stewards founders
- Service area is ME to DC
- Permanent collections or one-day events
- http://www.werecycle.com
Massachusetts
Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), Gardner MA
Metech Recycling, Worcester, MA
- Drop off
- Works with community partners and nonprofits
- Community collection events hosted by businesses, community groups, and other service organizations
- http://www.metechrecycling.com
Recycle A PC, Worcester, MA
o A Metech company
o Offers pack/ship option, manufacturer take-back, collection sites
o Worcester collection: April-Aug for educational institutions, nonprofits and government agencies
o http://www.recycleapc.com
Because the E-Steward certification is new, it may be difficult to find readily accessible recyclers who are E-Stewards. Here are two recyclers in Connecticut that do not have e-Steward certification but say they don’t use landfills.
Green Monster Recycling, W. Hartford, CT
· Free recycling, drop off at facility
· Says it does not send to developing countries or landfills, but not E-Steward certified.
· http://www.greenmonsterecycling.com
Next Level for Recycling, E. Windsor, CT
· Charter member of the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, but not E-Steward certified.
· Connecticut's first & only DEP permitted lamp & electronics recycler.
· Website says they provide “safe & secure” recycling for used mercury-containing lamps, ewaste, batteries, ballasts, mercury devices & much more.
· Website says the company surpasses today’s industry standards by providing “Responsible-Green-Recycling” services & maintaining zero landfill policies.
· http://www.nlrlamp.com
E-Recyclers in all 50 states can be found here— http://www.ecyclingcentral.com.
A comprehensive listing (dated April 2009) of take back programs is available at http://www.electronicstakeback.com/recycling/Using_company_takeback_programs.pdf
The Electronics TakeBack Coalition’s June 2009 Report Card shows some improvements in major TV manufacturers' national programs to take back and recycle their old TVs. But more than half of the 17 companies ranked still get scored a failing "F" grade, because they have no recycling program in place. This includes Vizio, which is now the number 2 seller of flat panel TVs in the US.
(Source: Electronics TakeBack Coalition, http://www.electronicstakeback.com)
Six TV companies have takeback programs:
Sony, Samsung, LG (includes Zenith, GoldStar), Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba. You must take your TVs or other products to their collection sites. There are not a lot of sites in most states, so check the links below to see if there is one near you. (They will all take back other brands for a fee.)
· Sony TV recycling
o Find Sony recycling locations.
o View Sony's recycling website for more info.
· Samsung TV recycling
o Find Samsung recycling locations.
o View Samsung's recycling website for more info.
· LG (includes Zenith, GoldStar) TV recycling
o Find LG recycling locations. This is an excel spreadsheet.
o View LG's recycling website for more info.
· Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba - handled by their joint company, MRM.
o Find MRM recycling locations.
o View MRM recycling website.
“Plug-In To eCycling” program sponsored by US EPA.
o Works with manufacturers to recycle cell phones and accessories
o AT&T, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.
o Mail or drop off regardless of brand
o http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/cellphone/index.htm
Best Buy (partners w/ ERI, an e-Steward, for recycling. See #1 above.)
· Drop off at local stores
· Accepts nearly everything electronic, including TVs, computers, DVD players, monitors, or cell phones.
· $10 charge for TVs under 32", CRTs, monitors and laptops. But you receive a $10 Best Buy gift card.
· Desktop or laptop computers should have the hard drive removed. See this Geek Squad video for Do-it-Yourself instructions, or Best Buy will remove it for $19.99.
· http://www.bbycommunications.com/crnew/recycling.asp
Costco
· Mail-back program provides free recycling services of any brand of used computers, monitors, laptops, printers, faxes, MP3 players, game systems, cameras/camcorders, and smartphones/pdas.
· Those who send items with “trade-in-value” will receive a Costco gift certificate.
· You do not need to be a member to use this service.
· Materials are not accepted at Costco retail locations
· http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=11230482
Staples
· Bring used computers, monitors, laptops, and desktop printers, faxes and all–in–ones to any U.S. Staples store.
· All brands are accepted, regardless of whether or not the equipment was purchased at Staples.
· A recycling fee of $10 per piece of large equipment is charged to cover handling, transport, product disassembly and recycling. Smaller computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and speakers are accepted at no charge.
· Uses Eco International – website under construction. No info on whether or not the company is an E-Steward recycler.
· http://www.staples.com/sbd/content/about/soul/recycling.html
Office Depot Tech Recycling Service
· Buy a recycling box from any Office Depot store ($5-$15, depending on size).
· Fill it with as many electronic items as will fit. Nothing cracked or leaking.
· Take the box back to the store.
· Acceptable items, terms and conditions are in the pdf document below:
· http://www.officedepot.com/speciallinks/us/od/docs/promo/pages/docs/techrecyclingbroch_july.pdf
Goodwill
Since 2004, Goodwill Industries and Dell, Inc. have worked together to responsibly recycle unwanted electronics at no cost to the public. Take your unwanted electronics -- any brand, any condition -- to a participating Goodwill store or Goodwill donation drop-off site. Goodwill will refurbish or recycle the equipment, benefiting communities and putting people to work. To date, the Reconnect partnership has collected more than 50 million pounds of electronics.
Salvation Army
Will accept many types of computer equipment in working condition. Go to http://www.salvationarmyusa.org to find the location nearest you, and to see if they can accept the type of equipment you would like to donate.
Computers With Causes
Whenever financially beneficial, computers with causes will repair, refurbish, and properly prepare donated property for placement into an educational environment or other cause we support. The ultimate goal being to maximize the benefit of your donations both financially and through educational purposes to the communities in which we live.
http://www.computerswithcauses.org
Nonprofit Recycling Network
Links donors w/ nonprofit recipients
Computer, laptop, office & classroom equipment
http://www.recycles.org
National Cristina Foundation
For more than 20 years, NCF has encouraged companies and individuals to donate computers and other technology, which is then matched to charities, schools and public agencies in all 50 states, Canada, and in many countries around the world.
http://www.cristina.org
Recycle for Breast Cancer
http://www.recycleforbreastcancer.org
Check for additional opportunities with nonprofit organizations in your state.
FreeCycle
A grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.
www.freecycle.org
Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority – CRRA
- Began e-recycling in 1999.
- Holds several FREE electronics recycling collections each year for 90 member towns in Connecticut.
- Accepts broken, unwanted or obsolete TVs, VCRs, computers, cell phones and other electronic devices.
- Member towns, collections schedule, and items collected are listed on their web site.
- http://www.crra.org/pages/recy_electronics.htm
NOTE:
Several websites that will dispose of your electronics promise some or all of the following: to pay you for your electronics, send you a box, pay for shipping, and either re-sell or recycle them.
Thoroughly research these disposal options before using them. How exactly do they recycle the products? If they’re paying you, how do they recoup that money? It’s very lucrative to ship electronics overseas, that’s why it’s such a problem.
I wasn’t able to thoroughly vet these options so have not listed any of them here.
The Internet is an unbelievable trough of information regarding this topic. Type in “electronics recycling” in any search engine and be prepared to be sucked into cyberspace for a good long while as one link takes you to another… and another.
To make it easier for you, here are some good websites to start, in addition to all the others included in this report.
www.eartheasy.com/article_recycling_electronic_goods.htm Article on recycling electronics
www.1800recycling.com
www.earth911.org Great resource for finding where to recycle anything nationwide
www.mygreenelectronics.com Tons of resources plus calculate your energy consumption with their energy calculator
www.recyclebank.com/recycling
www.electronicsrecycling.org Nat’l Center for Electronics Recycling
www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm Environmental Protection Agency
www.ban.org Basel Action Network works to prevent the globalization of the toxic chemical crisis.
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/green-electronics-survey-2.pdf Green Electronics Survey, December 2008
Businesses
The Green Electronics Council manages the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).
Created for businesses that have to purchase large quantities, this system helps corporate purchasers evaluate, compare and select desktops, laptops and monitors based on their environmental attributes.
http://www.epeat.net
If the products meet 23 required criteria re: environmental performance, they
may be registered in EPEAT by their manufacturers. Once registered, the products are then rated Gold, Silver or Bronze based on 28 optional criteria.
http://www.epeat.net/Criteria.aspx
Consumers
EPEAT is working to improve consumer access to EPEAT-qualified products through retail outlets.
At this time, Buy.com and TechDepot are the only general retailers providing a purchasing portal for EPEAT products and identifying products as EPEAT Bronze, Silver and Gold.
http://www.epeat.net/Consumers.aspx
Related Reading
CONSUMER DESIRE FOR “GREEN” ELECTRONICS ON THE RISE, SAYS CEA
One-Third of Consumers Expect to Make Eco-Friendly CE Purchase Within Two Years
http://www.ce.org/Press/CurrentNews/press_release_detail.asp?id=11649
Best Electronics Create Least E-Waste, Climate Change
http://greenwoman.typepad.com/biggreenpurse/2008/07/best-electronic.html
ME - As of July 2006, municipalities required to provide residents with a system for delivering their unwanted TVs and CRTs to consolidation centers.
CT - On January 1, 2011, there will be a disposal ban for all covered devices, meaning no CEDs may be placed in the trash. Municipalities will be required to provide convenient and accessible collection of CEDs.
See section above about e-Stewards.
If a recycler is not an e-Steward, here are some questions to ask—
http://www.ecyclingcentral.com/faqs.php
Write newspaper articles.
Post information on club websites.
Conduct informational outreach programs in your communities.
Read a statement at public hearings.
The only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.
http://www.americarecyclesday.org
What about Batteries for all those electronics?
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation has comprehensive info on where to recycle batteries nationwide.
http://www.call2recycle.org
What about all the personal data stored on your computer?
Wipe personal data off all electronic devices before disposing of them! (Note: Organizations offering used computers are having a hard time finding replacement parts for some that come in without hard drives, so leave them in the computer, if your comfortable with that.)
See page 14 of the pdf document below for software options to erase hard drives:
http://www.electronicstakeback.com/recycling/Using_company_takeback_programs.pdf
What about non-households?
E-waste from non-residential sources are regulated under current federal and state hazardous waste laws and must be managed as either a hazardous waste or a universal waste. Businesses pay their own disposal fees.
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