Super Eco

Photo credit: AvWijk, Wikimedia Commons

What happens to your old laptop or television set when it's run its course? Currently, 80% of unwanted electronics items end up at the garbage dump. These kinds of products are classified as e-waste; they contain mercury, lead, chromium and other flame retardants that need to be properly processed and recycled instead of simply thrown away.

The recycling process is very expensive, however, and most states simply put the extra burden on their waste management units, who pass it along to the taxpayers. According to National Public Radio affiliate KUOW in Seattle, Washington, the state has passed a new law requiring the product manufacturers to pay for the complex recycling process. Washington is one of several states that have recently enacted special e-waste laws.

Paying for the process might be a larger problem for smaller manufacturers than for major players like Sony and Microsoft, but the big corporations would surely prefer a specific federal law over having to adhere to separate regulations state-by-state. For once, I'm on the same side as Sony and Microsoft. The federal government must mandate not only the collection of electronics, but the recycling process as well. A 60 Minutes report in November 2008 revealed that many "recycled" electronics are shipped to China, where they are harvested for their precious metals. Unfortunately, many Chinese towns don't engage in proper recycling processes, and these gang-ridden areas are threatened by epidemics of lead poisoning and other diseases.

The EPA website doesn't mention anything about China, but it does have a recycling audit program to ensure that recyclers have "sound practices." If you are looking to recycle an old television or laptop, check here so you can make sure the product will be handled properly and ethically.