Electronic Waste: Out with the Old, Just not in Trash

Think about your TV set. Chances are you probably have one lonely TV set in your home that is unused. It might have no picture, only audio or may be in need of major repair. It might even require you to get up and turn the knob to change the channel. And while you may think that unused TV set in the den is useless, sit actually has potential within its unused motherboard. Before you decide to send your TV set to the graveyard, give your TV a new life.

Prior to tossing that old TV, think about where it ends up: your local landfill. That TV may be useless to you now, but it can be reused or recycled properly. With all this new technology coming out so frequently, ipods, Mac book, HD TV, Americans are finding more problems with disposing of what is commonly known as “E-waste.”

It’s not just TVs that are considered “E-waste.” Other items including computer monitors, printers, printer cartridges and cell phones can also be recycled.

As it gets closer to Earth Day, I’ve noticed a lot of “E-waste” events happening around the San Gabriel Valley. West Covina, Covina, La Puente, Baldwin Park, Glendora and La Verne are all holding these events. But it occurred to me: “What happens if you want to recycle some of your “E-waste” during the rest of the year?” There is a solution: Planet Green.

Planet Green, (which has been around since 2000), is a fundraising effort that helps people and organizations earn money by recycling cell phones and ink cartridges. The first step is to start collecting! Not making enough money from turning in your cans and bottles? Well, there’s a new way to earn money from your recycling.

Once you’re collected printer cartridges and used cell phones ship them to Planet Green and you’ll receive a check within seven days from the date Planet Green received your cartridges. It’s time we finally earn some green for being green.

Planet Green will send a free recycling kit including collection boxes and posters to anyone who wants to participate. Additional flyers and other items including a template to make your very own newsletter is available to download from www.PlanetGreenRecycle.com.

Roberta Brodsky is Recycling Program Director for Planet Green.

“We have an inspection process that they all go through visual/circuit testing if they are refurbished and resold,” Brodsky said. “Recycling is a method of last resort.”

Brodsky believes in “renewing the life of the product” instead of just relying on recycling. These items still have life within their modems and motherboards and be refurbished or reused by someone else. Planet Green assigns a dollar amount to each particular model of cell phone or type of ink cartridge sent to the company. The model of cell phone you’re recycling may be work $1 to $11. A Blackberry model 8800g will get you $9.

Brodsky believes that the speed which technology and electronics are evolving is not sustainable.

“People buy new cell phones every year,” she said.

Planet Green has thousands in their directory of participants. At the end of the year, Planet Green rewards its customers by giving back in their “1 %” program.

“We look at how much money you made and we give you one percent extra,” Brodsky said.

This happens “when they send us next shipment.”

On Saturday April 12, a free electronic waste collection event was held at West Covina High School. The event was to encourage residents to recycle their electronic equipment rather than toss them in the trash. Items considered “E-waste” have reached the end of their potential and useful life.

Although I was unable to attend the event because of work, as I drove by the student parking lot usually filled with chatty kids I could see it was transformed into a computer monitor graveyard.

West Covina resident Manuel Avellaneda, 19, recycled a 26 inch TV set.

“We weren’t using it anymore it worked though,” Avellandeda said.

Avellaneda didn’t see a lot of people, just a lot of stuff.

“They were shrink-wrapping modems on palettes. I saw speakers. It was cool,” he said. “They should have had more people (helping).”

My sister, Denise Lozano, also attended the event to get rid of an old tv and monitor we had taking up space in the house.

“It went from where you enter the tennis courts to where you exit,” she said. “People came at the same time.”

She witnessed cars completely filled with items to turn in.

“Monitors, big screen TVs, printers, cell phones,” she said. She even saw an ipod at the event. “It was chilling on the ground.”

Each item had its own destined area in the parking lot.

“E-waste” events are good for electronic items that can’t be trashed regularly, but there are a lot of things around the house that can’t be trashed either.

Not sure if your other household products are considered “E-waste” or what is banned from the trash?

The California Integrated Waste Management Board has a list of items that cannot be disposed with the rest of your trash. In fact all of the following are banned from your trash can: lights, batteries, electronics, mercury-containing items (thermometers, thermostats), households and landscape chemicals (pesticides and poisons), paints and solvents (Latex and oil-based), building materials (cement, roofing and flooring), automobile-related (antifreeze, batteries, motor oil, filters and tires), needles, photo waste and non-empty aerosol cans.

These items listed may be considered hazardous. According to the CIWMB Web site, “California law currently view nonfunctioning CRTs (cathode ray tubes) from televisions and monitors as hazardous.”

Not good. For the environment or your health. Please dispose of your “E-waste” properly. An “E-waste” event is a good place to start.