Are You Guilty of E-waste Pollution?

You may be recycling newspapers and plastic milk jugs, but are you guilty of sending e-waste to the landfill? E-waste, old electronics in need of disposal, is a fast growing problem as society becomes more wired. Let's take a quick look at some of the numbers:

* In 2007, Americans disposed of 205.5 million computers and 140.3 million cell phones.
* Only 18% of the computers and 10% of those cell phones were recycled. The rest headed to the landfill.

While computers and cell phones constitute a significant percentage of the 400 million units of e-waste annually, the contribution of other electronics to the problem can't be overlooked. Televisions, printers, copiers, cameras, stereo systems, and media players also add to the nation's electronic waste avalanche.

Why recycle?

The good news is that old electronics can be recycled. Recycling reclaims from the trash heap precious metals such as silver, gold, palladium and copper. Not only does recycling reclaim precious metals, it is an efficient method of obtaining those metals for use in new electronics production. More gold can be recovered from 1 metric ton of personal computer scrap than from 17 tons of gold ore.

The failure to recycle e-waste introduces hazardous materials to landfills where they can find their way into groundwater and soil. Cadmium, lead and mercury are among the most hazardous materials contained in electronics.

Where and how to recycle e-waste?

The Environmental Protection Agency compiled a list of e-waste recyclers to help consumers dispose of unwanted electronics.

Some communities like Montgomery County, Maryland sponsor electronic waste drop-off events and allow consumers to deliver electronics to recycling facilities. If your community doesn't offer these services, there are plenty of options to enable you to keep your e-waste out of the trash. The same stores that sell you electronics often provide e-waste recycling. Some of the big chains that provide this service include Best Buy, AT &T, Sprint, Office Depot and Staples. When planning to recycle at a retail store, it pays to check the website first. Some accept only brands they sell while others will take in electronics regardless of the manufacturer.

Many electronics manufacturers also operate take-back programs, some of which offer an incentive toward a new purchase.

There's no need to become a hoarder when it comes to e-waste anymore than to become a polluter. Recycling options for e-waste are plentiful once you know where to look.