Thursday, August 6, 2009

Replaced Electronics Take-Back

E-waste is the fastest growing part of today's municipal garbage. And since electronics are loaded with toxics, it is also the most hazardous. According to the EPA, in the US alone, our old computers and TVs are generating over 3 million tons of toxic trash every year and barely 14% of that is collected for recycling. The rest of it ends up in landfills -- where electronics can seep toxic chemicals into groundwater -- or worse, incinerators -- where their burning plastic can release dioxin into the air.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

Electronics designers and producers could make their gadgets to be less toxic, more durable, and easier to recycle or upgrade. Our friends at Electronics Take-Back Coalition are helping to rewrite the story, doing groundbreaking work to promote extended manufacturer responsibility, clean design and environmentally friendly recycling and disposal. Visit Electronics Take-Back Coalition for more information and to find a list of responsible recyclers in your area for electronics.

Read the New York Times story, A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics.

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