Have you ever stared at a old tech toy wondering what the heck to do with it now when you've just gone out and purchased the latest greatest version? Sadly, a lot of gadgets and gizmos end up right in the trash when they could be recycled. Really! In 2005 the EPA estimated there was about 2.2 there was 2.2 million tons of "e-waste" and 80% - 85% ended up in landfills.
It's consider what exactly goes into the construction of our play toys! Things like mercury, lead and cadmium which do harm to the environment when they are able to leach groundwater or into the air if they are incinerated.
Several computer companies have started recycling programs for their products. No doubt, this is in part due to their desire to keep the environment safe but I can't help but wonder if it has more to do with the growing trend of the the government to hold companies liable for their products from "cradle to grave."*
If you think this is just tree hugging run amok... New Jersey just passed a law that requires the recycling of computers and televisions. Similar laws are in th e works for a dozen other states making making manufacturers responsible for electronics recycling.
There's no formal process established in most areas for recycle electronics ... paper... plastic... or glass... you're covered! However, there are a few websites out there than can help you do the right thing.
myGreenElectronics.org is just such a site! I put in my own zip code and found no less than 25 locations with 20 miles of my house!
If it's just a phone you need to get rid of give
Greenphone a try.
*
A "Cradle-to-grave" ... a product's life-cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.
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