Working to End the Global E-Waste Epidemic

Most of us don't think twice about recycling cans and bottles, but what about that old computer monitor? Tossing an old monitor in the trash or onto the street may get that ugly behemoth out of your site, but improperly disposing of it may not only be illegal, it can spread hazardous waste and toxins.

Electronic waste (also known as e-waste) comes from discarded electronic devices -- computer monitors, television screens, and cellular phones. These devices are comprised of toxic substances -- mercury, lead, cadmium, PVCs, brominated flame retardants, and Chromium VI -- which can cause damage to blood systems, increased risks of cancer, and other serious health problems.

What's more, e-waste that isn't properly recycled or disposed of can end up in rivers and other water supplies, poisoning nearby communities. But even proper recycling of electronic equipment in the United States doesn't guarantee it won't end up in a landfill overseas.

"[The United States is] the largest waste producer," said Sarah Westervelt, E-Waste Project Coordinator at Seattle-based Basel Action Network (BAN). "The U.S. really is a bad player globally. And we're exporting our hazardous electronic waste to developing countries, often illegally, and usually with horrific impacts on human health and the environment in these countries." With 48.5 million computers discarded in the United States each year, 1.5 million of those machines end up in landfills annually while 50-80 percent of e-waste collected for recycling is exported from the U.S. to Asia, according to the BAN's Exporting Harm report and the World Watch article "World Watch article ."

What prevents electronic toxic waste from ending up in a landfill in Shanghai or flowing through a river in India? How do we prevent low-paid workers overseas from dissembling electronics and being exposed to deadly chemicals? One solution is to reuse equipment that's still operative, or that can be made operative.

"As a nation, we should divert a significant percentage of [operable] three- to five-year-old computers being discarded each year -- get them refurbished [for] organizations, schools, and charities," said Jim Lynch, Computer Recycling and Reuse Program Manager at CompuMentor and author of the 2004 report Islands in the Wastestream , which examines the noncommercial computer reuse movement in the United States.

Refurbished computers in working condition are not only desirable for organizations in the United States, but for schools and non-governmental organizations in Latin America and Africa. "Those good computers are very, very welcome in developing countries," said Lynch. "It's a colossal waste if we can't reclaim a bunch of things for reuse."

New laws aren't doing much to help the e-waste situation. The measures of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive were written so that companies in the European Union ( EU) would responsibly dispose of electrical equipment. WEEE lacks an aspect of reuse, however, according to Lynch. If reuse were written into the directive, equipment would be refurbished rather than pile up in landfills.

"Europe is a great raw material producer of discarded computers and we're exactly the same way," said Lynch. "[Computer reuse] could happen in the United States if we did our work right."

Prohibiting Poisons

Decreasing or even eliminating the hazardous materials used in manufacturing and increasing manufacturing responsibility is another way to address the e-waste problem. The EU's ROHS states that manufacturers selling new products in Europe must phase out or significantly reduce six toxins, including lead, mercury, and cadmium.

"The reality is that [the European directive has] driven a huge amount of research and development for alternatives to toxic materials, and companies are scrambling -- successfully finding them, for the most part, " said BAN's Westervelt.

The EU has also banned the export of hazardous electronic waste and requires manufacturers to take back end-of-life equipment for safe recycling. But these types of regulations have yet to carry over to the United States.

"Many of the international corporations have basically implemented a double standard -- free take back in Europe, but not here [in the United States]." This practice, according to Westervelt, is known as Extended Producer Responsibility ( EPR), and is the basis of the new laws in Europe. "We'd like to see the same companies offer their U.S. customers free take back of toxic products," she said.

Organizations Making A Difference

While it's clear this is a growing problem, getting the attention of large companies and urging them to change their computer manufacturing, purchasing, and recycling practices isn't exactly an easy undertaking.

In the United States, organizations such as the Silicon Valley Toxics Collation are working with partners overseas in Asia and Mexico, but are also specifically targeting U.S. manufacturers directly to reduce global e-waste. SVTC was one of the lead organizations that helped launch the Computer TakeBack Campaign , according to Executive Director Sheila Davis. SVTC also worked with Dell Computers to start a recycling program. And more recently, SVTC targeted Apple computers to recycle its iPod music players.

Texas Campaign for the Environment also targeted Apple, but instead used the high-profile tactic of flying a plane with a banner reading, "Steve -- Don't be a Mini Player -- Recycle All E-Waste", over the June 2005 Stanford graduation where Apple CEO Steve Jobs was the commencement speaker.

SVTC also partnered with Office Depot for a nationwide, free electronic equipment drop off, according to Robin Schneider, Executive Director of Texas Campaign for the Environment and Rights Chair of the Computer TakeBack Campaign. The campaign was a success and Office Depot received more than 5,000 tons of materials in six weeks.

Change is happening slowly and large organizations, like Bay Area-based Kaiser Permanente hospitals, are getting the message and are cleaning up their acts. Kaiser partnered with Healthcare without Harm (which is affiliated with SVTC) to create more environmentally friendly policies.

"We send all of our electronic assets to an end of life process," Kaiser spokesperson Lynne Garsky, Enviormental Stewardship Manager for Kaiser Permanente, said. She explained that Kaiser's electronics are recycled and resold. Items that are recycled are done so with a zero landfill pledge. "For the last four years we have captured and sent all of our electronic assets to an end of life process," she said.

Reuse is another way of keeping e-waste out of landfills. Although not an official part of its mission, the Global Exchange (home of the Green Festival) makes a conscious effort to ensure that its discarded electronics don't contribute to toxic waste. "I make it our department mission to reuse as much as I can," said Network Administrator, Sonia Iron Cloud. "If it weren't [already], I was going to make it part of our mission."

Cloud says she brings old equipment to the nonprofit Alameda Country Computer Resource Center which recycles electronic equipment.

Free Recycling, Sometimes

Unfortunately, disposing of electronic equipment isn't always free. Some organizations charge for recycling on a sliding scale -- about $20-30 per non-usable computer system. But that's changing.

Former system administrator at a financial services company Paul Lerner wanted reduce the amount of waste being dumped in landfills. So in 2004, he started the Direct Computer Disposal located in the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.

The organization, an official California e-waste collector, takes all types of electronic equipment, including computers, monitors, televisions, printers and networking equipment. Anyone can drop off these items free of charge and know that they'll be recycled, not deposited into a landfill. "We're kind of hoping to alleviate the dumping that goes on," says Lerner.

Goodwill currently receives 23 million pounds of donated electronics per year in the United States and Canada alone. While not all of its locations offer free electronic drop-offs, some do. Check with your local agency or outlet before bringing equipment. Visit the Goodwill's locater to find stores and drop-offs in your area.

"Nonprofits like Goodwill that collect donated goods and donated computers are a natural stop in the lifecycle of electronic products and we have seen an increase in donations," said Christine Nyirjesy Bragale, spokesperson for Goodwill Industries International. She explained that it's a challenge dealing with electronic products because not everything can be sold in its stores.

Accepting donations only addresses part of the problem, however. Goodwill Industries International also joined the Congressional E-Waste Working Group, designed to look for solutions to the e-waste problem and inform Congress of the effects of e-waste. (Republicans Mike Thomson and Randy Cunningham as well as Democrats Louise Slaughter and Mary Bono head the group.)

"Recycling is becoming a new business line for us," said Bragale, "because it creates jobs and funds career programs. [The Congressional E-Waste Working Group] is a positive thing because of the volume of donations that we receive -- we want to make sure that our voice is heard as decisions are being made."

Even if you don't have the backing of a large organization, you can still make a difference. Urge U.S. manufacturers to take back equipment through the Computer TakeBack Campaign's Web site, contact manufacturers directly by asking for change, sign the Electronics Take It Back! Platform , and write to your state legislators.

Of course, you can also take responsibility for your unused home and office electronics by recycling or donating them. Read TechSoup's Computer Recycling and FAQ to find out more ways to help.