15 Computer Recyclers to Sign Take-Back Deal
by Neil Strassman, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
25 February 2003 (Texas, USA) –
Concerned that many old computers are being dumped in landfills or overseas, environmentalists are stepping up a campaign to ensure that obsolete electronic equipment is disposed of properly.
Fifteen electronics recyclers in North America -- including the largest in Texas and the Southwest, Resource Concepts of Carrollton -- are expected to sign a pledge today promising to not send electronic waste to landfills or incinerators or allow it to be exported.
The pledge is the latest effort in the Computer TakeBack campaign, a national effort to get electronics manufacturers to reclaim obsolete products.
"More than half of the computers supposedly being recycled are sent overseas," said Bobby Farris, environmental manager at Resource Concepts, which refurbishes and recycles computers and cellphones.
Resource Concepts pays to recycle the equipment, although some recyclers sell the electronic waste to companies that take it overseas, he said.
"That puts us at a competitive disadvantage, and that's why we are signing the pledge," Farris said.
In addition to calling for manufacturers to take back their old equipment, the pledge also asks recyclers to support a reduction in toxic metals and chemicals used in the design and manufacturing of the equipment.
The pledge-signing comes on the anniversary of the 2002 report Exporting Harm: The High-Tech Trashing of Asia, published by the Basel Action Network and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.
The report says that millions of pounds of electronic waste are shipped to China, India, Pakistan and other places in Asia.
The waste often contains high levels of toxic metals such as lead, cadmium or mercury that can leach from landfills and pollute groundwater and wells. The report says that pollution from electronic waste is so bad in some Chinese towns that drinking water is imported.
In the United States, several states have outlawed dumping electronic waste in landfills. More than a dozen others -- but not Texas -- are considering such laws.
It is estimated that there are as many as 500 million obsolete computers in North America and that 75 percent of them are in storage, Farris said.
The environmental campaign also targets Dell, the Austin-based manufacturer that is the largest producer of personal computers, in an effort to get the company to take back its old equipment.
Many European nations and Japan require computer makers, including Dell, to take back old equipment. Dell and other manufacturers do not operate such programs in North America, but consumers can return old computers if they cover shipping costs or in some cases pay a fee.
"People are not going to pay $20 or more to recycle something useless," said Robin Schneider, executive director of the Austin-based Public Research Works, a group working on the electronic-waste campaign.
Dell is "absolutely opposed" to exporting electronic waste to developing countries, said Don K. Brown, the company's environmental affairs manager.
Brown said there is not a consensus in the industry, which prefers a market-driven solution to recycling.
"Business at Dell is about trying to give our customers options, and most of our customers aren't looking for an advanced recycling fee," he said, There should be shared responsibility for recycling, he said.
"How do you get it to a collection point? Who owns the collection point and who owns the recycling facility, and what do you do with televisions?" he said.
"We do believe we have a responsibility, but we don't think it's up to our industry to own the cost chain."
In the meantime, designs are evolving. Less toxic materials are used, and the cost of recycling is coming down, he said.
The campaign is also critical of the Environmental Protection Agency, even though in January the EPA launched a "Plug-In to Recycling Campaign" with a Web site.
Schneider said the EPA needs to stop the exporting of electronic waste to developing countries and prevent that waste from going into landfills. The agency also needs to promote computer take-back programs, she said.
"It looks like there is so much going on, but there are still few real options for consumers," Schneider said.
"We have asked manufacturers to do more than they are doing," said Dave Ryan, an EPA spokesman in Washington.
Other EPA officials called the dumping of electronic waste in Asia "extremely unacceptable" and said the agency is working to improve the situation, including work on a certification for foreign recyclers.
A number of states are looking at "take-back mandates," but there has been little support for national legislation, the officials said.
Control of landfills is largely up to the states, they said.
Recycling
Computer recycling is available through many city programs and at Resource Concepts, 2940 Eisenhower St., Carrollton, (972) 245-3121. Information on recycling and the Computer TakeBack campaign is available at the following Web sites:
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
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