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Stewardship Tip – Recycle E-Waste
By Arshia | February 7, 2011
Computers that can no longer calculate. Boom boxes that can’t keep the beat. Walkmen that have taken one too many steps. Televisions that have broadcast their last Late Show. When these items make a hasty departure from our homes, they become electronic waste. It’s a problem.
Consider Televisions and Cathode Ray Tubes. They contain lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury, and flame retardants.
In a landfill, these chemicals combine with rainwater, as well as the chemicals found in other waste, to produce a toxic cocktail known as leachate. Quite honestly, most landfills are well-engineered and are sealed to protect the surrounding groundwater. However, liners have failed in the past. They will fail in the future.
Leachate from landfills eventually will find its way into our groundwater. Ultimately, it will poison our fish.
The best solution is to reuse old electronics.
Donate electronics that are still in usable condition to your local non-profit, church, or synagogue. Computers that are only a few years old but are still in working order can be very useful.
Sell used electronics on craigslist, post them on ecosquid.com (old computers are in demand for use as linux servers these days).
Garage sales seem to pop up like crocuses in the spring. Hold a garage sale and peddle your used electronics.
If you electronics are not serviceable, recycle them. Be careful, however. The processes for separating and recycling reusable components from e-waste is complicated and, if not done properly, may release contaminants into the environment. Recyclers need to know what they are doing. Look for recyclers who are ISO 14000 or e-steward certified. Also look for vendors that follow R-2 practices.
This week’s sponsor-partner: GreenFish
As the bumper sticker says, “we’d rather be fishing.”
And that’s why GreenFish is here – to make sure we can for a long time. A percentage of every sale is donated to Recycled Fish, as long as you designate our cause at checkout.
You can also save 20% when you use checkout code RECYCLEDFISH.
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