Electronic, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that are discarded by consumers. These include a wide range of items, such as:
televisions and computer monitors
computers and computer peripherals (e.g., monitors and keyboards)
audio and stereo equipment
VCRs and DVD players
video cameras
telephones, cellular phones and other wireless devices
fax and copy machines
video game consoles
While computers, monitors, televisions, stereos and other electrical equipment are not yet banned from Iowa landfills, we know that it is only a short amount of time before they are. So, keeping with our philosophy of being PRO-active, rather than RE-active, we have implemented a recycling program for these items similar to the program we have for tires and appliances. Effective, January 1, 2006, there is now a separate fee for monitors and tv's.
Why do these items need to be separated from regular household waste and kept out of the landfill?
One reason is volume - Today's computer industry is constantly introducing new technology. Upgrades occur on the average every 18 months. The average life span of a computer has decreased from 4-5 years to about 2 years. With computers, as well as with most other electronics, it is perceived to be cheaper to discard it and replace it with a new, more modern model, rather than have it repaired. Between 2000 and 2007, as many as 500 million personal computers became obsolete and entered the municipal solid waste stream.
Potential Toxic Concerns - The glass used in computer monitors and tv sets contains lead...as much as 5-7 pounds in a single monitor. Other potentially hazardous elements include mercury, cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, polyvinyl chloride plastics, and flame retardants. While electronics are safe while being used, when discarded in a landfill, these metals may leach out, and in a worst case scenario, contaminate the ground water.
Many of you have seen news reports exposing shady electronic recyclers who send the material oversees. It is then burned to separate the components, releasing toxic gases into the air and endangering the lives of the people, mostly children, who work among the scrap rubble. Please be assured that we thoroughly investigate the companies with which we do business, to ensure the electronics are demanufactured locally according to strict EPA guidelines.
