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A state law that just went into effect to encourage recycling of electronics needs some tinkering to make sure it doesn't inadvertently bankrupt businesses that fix old computers, says a state legislator whose South Seattle district includes several computer-refurbishing shops. The law allows consumers to recycle computers, computer monitors, laptops and TVs for free. In effect as of Thursday, it is being hailed as groundbreaking nationally because it marks the first time a state has forced electronics manufacturers to pay the entire cost of the recycling. But there's a big problem with the law, according to environmentalists as well as the computer refurbishers: It puts a big hurdle in the way of the computer rebuilders.

America's TV stations will make a historic switch next month from analog to digital signals. But what promises to bring a sharper picture is also raising the curtain on a big environmental unknown across California: What will happen to the millions of old TV sets that no longer work? It's illegal to simply toss the estimated 2 million old TVs - chock-full of hazardous waste - into the garbage. "We're preparing for a tidal wave. We've already seen more televisions being donated and we expect to see more as the switch-over comes," said James David, a spokesman for Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties. On Feb. 17, older analog televisions that receive signals "over the air" from a rooftop antenna or with "rabbit ears" will stop working.

Free recycling of TVs, computers, laptops and monitors started Jan. 2, with Port Townsend's Goodwill serving as a participant in the statewide effort. Goodwill accepts all electronic equipment, including keyboards, printers, other peripherals and cell phones. Donations to the nonprofit agency are also tax deductible. "Participating in the program is in keeping with Goodwill's reduce, reuse and recycle efforts," said Eric Hulscher, Goodwill operations manager overseeing the program. Hulscher noted that donors could take their time and bring in donations at their convenience. "This is a permanent, ongoing program, not a one-day event," he said.

Donating E-Cycle material to Goodwill helps in two ways: supporting Goodwill's job-training and placement efforts; and through sales at our retail stores, having a greater chance to reuse computers instead of having them end up in the waste stream. Donations to Goodwill are, of course, tax-deductible and Goodwill also will accept peripherals, keyboards, cel phones and other electronic equipment.

Do you have an old TV, laptop or monitor? Now you can easily recycle it for free, thanks to a new state law. The E-Cycle Washington program requires manufacturers to provide recycling services for TVs, desktop computers, laptop computers and monitors at no cost to residents, nonprofits, small businesses, schools and local governments. "The law puts the responsibility of end-of-life disposal costs on the manufacturer, rather than the resident or local government. This is important because recycling is a very expensive process," said Terri Thomas, education and outreach specialist for Thurston County Solid Waste. Before, residents either had to rely on Thurston County's twice-a-year Community Recycle Days or seek out other options, usually at their own expense, Thomas said. Perhaps that's why electronics are the fastest-growing waste stream, she said.

E-waste has been in the news a lot lately, with the 60 Minutes expose on toxic electronic waste illegally shipped to other countries, and reports from organizations like the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, who recently traveled to India to track the global e-waste crisis. People are starting to pay more attention to where their electronics go when we lose interest in them.

The government's billion-dollar program to help people prepare for the transition to digital television has run out of money, potentially leaving millions of viewers without coupons to buy converter boxes they need to keep their analog TV sets working after the switch.The government's billion-dollar program to help people prepare for the transition to digital television has run out of money, potentially leaving millions of viewers without coupons to buy converter boxes they need to keep their analog TV sets working after the switch.

Oregon e-Cycles has a great website up for consumers to help guide them through the whys and hows of e-cycling. If you live in the area, simply type in your zip code and you're given a listing of local collection points. Oregon has another item that will launch next New Year's Day: on January 1, 2010, disposal of computers, monitors and TVs will be banned . Also launching on this New Years Day was Washington's new program letting people drop off certain e-waste items for free. They too have a search database for finding a local drop-off point , as well as a call-in hotline.

Although some sites may collect other unwanted electronics gear, such as cell phones and printers, they may charge for taking those items because those are not covered under the Oregon E-Cycles program. Electronics contain a host of hazardous substances, including mercury and lead. Even small amounts of these toxins can be dangerous. Electronics also contain valuable materials, including copper, gold and aluminum. The CBS news program "60 Minutes" recently aired an investigative report tracking e-waste. "60 Minutes" reporter Scott Pelley discovered an illegal electronic wasteland in Guiyo, China. Pelley and crew tracked a container of old computer CRT monitors owned by Colorado-based Executive Recycling. Gangs at the dump site tried to take CBS's footage, but the film crew escaped. Executive Recycling called the report unfair and issued a statement: "Sadly, Executive Recycling appears now to be the victim of others who have obtained electronic and computer products from our company and then acted irresponsibly." The company also said, "no business can be responsible for the subsequent improper actions of others who lawfully purchase products from them and hide their intentions to engage in misconduct."Although some sites may collect other unwanted electronics gear, such as cell phones and printers, they may charge for taking those items because those are not covered under the Oregon E-Cycles program. Electronics contain a host of hazardous substances, including mercury and lead. Even small amounts of these toxins can be dangerous. Electronics also contain valuable materials, including copper, gold and aluminum. The CBS news program "60 Minutes" recently aired an investigative report tracking e-waste. "60 Minutes" reporter Scott Pelley discovered an illegal electronic wasteland in Guiyo, China. Pelley and crew tracked a container of old computer CRT monitors owned by Colorado-based Executive Recycling. Gangs at the dump site tried to take

The Washington bill is what other states wanted,'' said Scott Cassel, executive of the Product Stewardship Institute. Requiring manufacturers to cover the collection and recycling costs will encourage them to design greener products that are less toxic and easier to recycle, he said. ``Here is a state that took a careful, methodical and comprehensive approach and considered various options,'' Cassel said. ``Now state residents will have an electronics recycling system that will become the gold standard for the country.'' A wide and diverse group backed the bill, which also had bipartisan support. Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., Seattle electronics recycler Total Reclaim Inc., and retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Amazon.com supported the bill. But the bill was far from receiving unanimous backing from electronics manufacturers. The Electronic Industries Alliance communicated its concerns with Washington's legislation. The group, along with 18 of its member companies, such as Dell Inc., IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc., did not support the bill. The law does not implement a shared responsibility approach. But rather, it extends the manufacturers' responsibility to finance the end of the life of their products, according to the EIA's remarks to the Washington Legislature. Such a system is inefficient, the group said, and will result in increased costs for Washington consumers.

Prior to the startup of this program, the quality of electronic waste recycling in this state, and across the nation has been questionable at best. While there are a number of reputable firms that handle and recycle electronic components properly, there are other, well-documented cases of companies that collect the items for shipment to Third World countries, where they are crudely picked apart, endangering the health of workers, communities and the environment. The state's electronic waste recycling program, similar to ones developed in 16 other states, is another classic example of the federal government shirking its duties. Rather than a nationwide electronic waste recycling program with uniform rules and regulations, the states are left to fend for themselves. How many times have we seen this scenario play out during the past eight years?

``The Washington bill is what other states wanted,'' said Scott Cassel, executive of the Product Stewardship Institute. Requiring manufacturers to cover the collection and recycling costs will encourage them to design greener products that are less toxic and easier to recycle, he said. ``Here is a state that took a careful, methodical and comprehensive approach and considered various options,'' Cassel said. ``Now state residents will have an electronics recycling system that will become the gold standard for the country.'' A wide and diverse group backed the bill, which also had bipartisan support. Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., Seattle electronics recycler Total Reclaim Inc., and retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Amazon.com supported the bill. But the bill was far from receiving unanimous backing from electronics manufacturers. The Electronic Industries Alliance communicated its concerns with Washington's legislation. The group, along with 18 of its member companies, such as Dell Inc., IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc., did not support the bill. The law does not implement a shared responsibility approach. But rather, it extends the manufacturers' responsibility to finance the end of the life of their products, according to the EIA's remarks to the Washington Legislature. Such a system is inefficient, the group said, and will result in increased costs for Washington consumers.

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition provides several excellent Consumer Guides that walk you through just how you go about finding a recycling facility for your old electronics. It can be worrisome, since you have to be careful your device is going to a responsible recycler and not someone who will ship it overseas to an unregulated and often highly toxic facility.

NBC25 NEWS - Ever wonder what to do with an old cell phone or outdated computer? There are better options than the trash. Computers, printers, and cell phones can all be saved from the landfill, but more often than not, outdated and unwanted electronics end up in the trash. "90 percent of all electronics, they are not disposed of properly, so you can see that poses a huge environmental problem," said Collin Marshall with Best Buy.

YAKIMA, Wash. -- In its first month, Washington's new electronics recycling program has collected more than three million pounds of waste -- 20 percent to 30 percent more than expected. Although pleased with the program's success, regulators of E-Cycle Washington are asking people to wait a few months to drop off their electronics so collection sites can catch up with demand. "Response has been good, but there are some capacity issues," said John Friedrick, director of the Washington Materials Management and Financing Authority, which oversees the recycling network. "I anticipated there would be a lot more problems, but there haven't been. Overall, I'm very happy with it."

"It is an exciting day," said Sego Jackson, a principal planner for Snohomish County who helped shape the statewide program called E-Cycle Washington. "It's a system that is flipped on its head." Hailed as a huge victory for the environment and electronics-saddled consumers, the legislation was the first of its kind in the country when it passed in 2006.

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There are now 17 states with similar programs; the National Center for Electronics Recycling tracks such laws. It estimates that just under 50 percent of the US population is now covered by such measures. They should be making a dent in the mountains of electronic garbage created in the U.S; in 2007, Americans generated about 232 million units of computer and TV-related E-waste, of which only 18 percent was recycled.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumers who wait too long to request government coupons to subsidize converter boxes for the digital television transition in February may come up empty-handed, a regulator