Let’s keep electronics out of our landfills

E-Waste

[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/EW-12-05-12-e-Waste.mp3|titles=EW 12-05-12 e-Waste]

Our cell phones, computers, and game consoles make our lives more productive or at least more interesting. But in our efforts to keep up with the latest technology, we are creating an enormous problem of electronic waste.

E-waste generates a tremendous volume of trash. And smart phones and other electronics are manufactured with materials that are hazardous, such as PVC and rare earth elements like Yttrium. These don’t belong in landfills.

Valuable elements like silver, copper, and palladium are also found in our electronics. These should be recovered and recycled to reduce the environmental imprint of mining for new materials.

The European Union has new regulations on e-waste that increase the amount of materials each member state must collect and recycle. Retail stores that sell electronics will also be required to collect and recycle electronics from consumers. The idea is to give manufacturers and retailers the incentive to produce and sell items in a sustainable manner.

In the U.S., some electronics companies offer recycling options, and some states, including New York, are regulating e-waste. The New York law requires manufacturers to take back used televisions, phones, computers, and even DVDs, so that consumers don’t just throw them in the trash.

You can mitigate e-waste in a number of ways. Extend the life of your computer by adding memory rather than buying a new one. Sell used electronics online, or donate them to a school or charity. And buy from companies that use recycled or recyclable materials in their products.