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Mumbai, the electronic waste capital of the country, is likely to get an e-waste processing unit run on a public-private partnership model. The unit will be first of its kind in the country and the second in South East Asia, to where India now supplies its e-waste for recovery of precious metals. The core committee under the chairmanship of the state Environment Secretary along with members of Solid Waste Management (SWM) cell of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), decided that a techno-economic feasibility study should be carried out for full-fledged processing of e-waste generated in the region. "The committee decided that a techno-economic feasibility study should be initiated. The concept is to have a comprehensive process to recover precious as well as non-precious metals safely," said Ashwini Bhide, Joint Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA. The processing unit will be located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Free recycling of televisions, laptop and desktop computers and monitors will be available in Clallam and Jefferson counties starting Friday, thanks to the new E-Cycle Washington program. That means no one needs to throw away such gear and add to already-stuffed landfills, said John Friederick of the Washington Materials Management & Financing Authority, organizer of E-Cycle Washington. Households, businesses, school districts, government agencies and nonprofit groups can take advantage of the free program. The state Electronic Product Recycling Act requires electronics makers to pay for E-Cycle Washington, and the companies collecting equipment must adhere to state Department of Ecology standards for responsible recycling. For information visit Ecology's Web site, www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/eproduct recycle.

As industry groups file suit against a New York City e-waste recycling program, AT&T is ramping up its own wireless recycling initiatives, showing the divergent attitude that is emerging among sellers of electronic devices. AT&T estimates it will collect roughly 14 million wireless devices for recycling by the end of 2011, which will keep more than 920 tons of primary materials and more than 13 tons of toxic waste out of landfills. Post provides highlights of AT&T e-waste initiative, information on lawsuit filed in NYC, and information on the Electronics Stewardship Association of British Columbia (ESABC). ESABC is revising the Environmental Handling Fees (EHFs) charged on products which were regulated for the launch of the program August 1, 2007. Most charges will be lowered between 20 to 75 percent. These changes will become effective on August 1, 2009 and are directly related to computer, printer, monitor and TV purchases.

Article by June Ng, 6/12/09 edition of HK Magazine. "Every year Hong Kong produces more and more harmful electronic waste, but we only have a voluntary e-waste recycling scheme." Discusses e-waste problem from Hong Kong's perspective; includes some statistics specific for Hong Kong on electronic device use, as well as e-waste generation, recycling and fate.

One of the thorniest problems with Green IT is what to do with all the computers, monitors, hardware, and other electronics your company no longer needs. You may think that you've solved the problem by choosing a responsible recycler or asset management firm. But according to a recent 60 Minutes segment, that e-waste may end up in unregulated toxic waste dumps in China that foul the land, water, and air, cause cancers and miscarriages, and endanger children. Includes video of a 60 minutes segment following the illegal trail of e-waste from a recycler in Colorado to China. Article by Preston Gralla, Greener Computing, 11/19/08.

Not to be confused with Basel's "PACE." This is a Computer Recycling and E-Waste Program in Canada

This study, the first to investigate workplace contamination in areas in Ghana where e-waste recycling and disposal is carried out, focussed on the main centre for this type of work, at the Agbogbloshie scrap market in Ghana's capital, Accra. One of the numerous similar, though far smaller, operations that take place throughout Ghana was also investigated, at the location of a scrap dealer in Korforidua, a smaller city to the north of Accra. At these workshops, e-waste is recycled in a crude way, primarily involving manual disassembly and open burning to isolate copper from plastics. Much of the work is carried out by children, commonly using only rudimentary tools and with no protective equipment.

UAE emerges among top 3 countries in the world with the highest number of digitally connected consumers. Having said that, the increase in usage of electronic devices has resulted in a drastic rise in e-waste generation. To address this growing concern, UAE has started doing its bit to manage it more effectively. To know more, have a look at the latest smart trends going on in UAE for e-waste recycling. Also, check out how Veracity World - The Green Industry For E-waste Recycling is contributing towards the betterment of the environment, health and overall well being of citizens in UAE.

Dell is expanding its consumer electronics recycling program with Goodwill and its own tech trade-in operation, while the M&K Recovery Group says it harvested 15 percent more copperware from computer gear than it did in 2007. The companies detailed their latest activities on the e-cycling front in separate announcements yesterday. Such growth is welcome news in the drive to better manage tech waste. The U.S. is awash in used, broken and old consumer electronics -- from cell phones and laptops to televisions and sophisticated entertainment systems. The number of programs to recycle goods is increasing, but those efforts have yet to check the flow of gear that's discarded every day. Dell is expanding its consumer electronics recycling program with Goodwill and its own tech trade-in operation, while the M&K Recovery Group says it harvested 15 percent more copperware from computer gear than it did in 2007. The companies detailed their latest activities on the e-cycling front in separate announcements yesterday. Such growth is welcome news in the drive to better manage tech waste. The U.S. is awash in used, broken and old consumer electronics -- from cell phones and laptops to televisions and sophisticated entertainment systems. The number of programs to recycle goods is increasing, but those efforts have yet to check the flow of gear that's discarded every day.

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.

"About 168 million electronic waste items will either be dumped in landfill or be destined for landfill by the end of 2008, a new report has found. The report by the Total Environment Centre says the lack of environmentally responsible recovery options for electronic waste has reached crisis point.In light of the report, the Total Environment Centre has called on state and federal environment ministers to implement an e-waste recycling system to prevent the number of e-waste items in Australia's landfills rising to more than 200 million by 2010."

Two Democratic U.S. Senators -- Amy Klobuchar of Minn. and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York -- introduced earlier this month legislation aimed at funding R&D efforts to improve to recycle e-waste and develop best practices and innovation in greener design of electronics. The Electronic Device Recycling Research and Development Act, a nearly identical version of which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in April, provides almost $85 million over the next three years to help spur the growth of electronics recycling practices in the U.S. The bill, S. 1397, includes four main initiatives: providing grants for R&D into e-waste processes and practices, funding research into environmentally friendly materials for use in electronics, establishing educational curricula for engineering students at all levels to incorporate green design practices into electronics, and publishing a report from the National Academy of Sciences laying out the good and the bad in the current state of electronics recycling.

Text of e-waste legislation signed by mayor of New York City 4/1/08. New York City is the first municipality to pass an e-waste recycling bill; the law requires manufacturers of certain electronic equipment to create a collection program for any person in the City who wants to properly discard of their electronics. The bill also bans e-waste from disposal into the City's solid waste stream. Devices covered include: CPUs, computer monitors, computer accessories including keyboards and mice, laptop computers, TVs, printers, and portable music players.

Basel Action Network (BAN) Toxic Trade News, 6/10/09. "The Environmental Protection Agency filed a legal Complaint and Compliance Order late last week against EarthEcycle, the electronic waste handler for several charity e-waste collection events held in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in recent days. Basel Action Network (BAN) tracked 7 sea-going containers of the collected toxic e-waste to Hong Kong and South Africa after assurances were made by EarthEcycle owner, Mr. Jeffrey Nixon, that the wastes would be recycled locally. The EPA complaint cites 7 violation counts for illegal management and exportation of 'Cathode Ray Tubes' - the picture tube of old computer monitors and TVs. The counts include 'unauthorized export of hazardous waste' and 'failure to prepare a hazardous waste manifest.'" Article also reports on the decision of certain charities to continue their fundraising relationships with EarthECycle despite allegations of illegal exportation of waste.

The Government has outlined a national framework for e-waste to be developed and set in place for all industry organisations from 2011. In a meeting today [11/5/09], the Environmental Protection Heritage Council (EPHC) confirmed the national e-waste management program will be a consistent national policy regulating the disposal of electronic products in Australia including computers, monitors and TVs.

Discussions are underway for the creation of an e-waste depot in Winkler.

Cisco, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nokia, Research in Motion, Sprint Nextel and Vodafone, as well as Apple, Inc. have stepped in to fulfill this vital service. A new report from Pike Research, who tracks global clean technology trends, notes that with the implementation of these private sector programs, in conjunction with new government regulations on what can end up in landfills, e-waste will begin to be curtailed in 2016, when recycling practices fully catch up with the growth of personal machinery.

VISTA, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/Aug. 11, 2009 --- E-World Online today announced the debut of the Manufacturer Interstate Takeback System (MITS). Conceived and developed by E-World Online, with direction from Sony Electronics, the system will perform multiple functions: tracking the collection, transportation and responsible recycling of household, small business and small government electronics waste in various extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs throughout the U.S.

OLYMPIA - If you're wondering what to do with those unwanted TVs, computers and monitors stored in a garage or back-room, relief is here. E-Cycle Washington is a new program that started on Jan. 1. It allows free and convenient recycling of these electronic products. The makers of these products are providing about 200 collection sites around the state. State residents, small businesses, school districts, small government agencies and charities can bring television sets, computers (desktop and laptop) and monitors to these sites to be recycled. They will pay no fee for this service. There is no need to rush out this weekend - or even this month. E-Cycle Washington is a permanent and ongoing addition to current recycling opportunities available to Washington residents. Many collection sites will be open several days a week and some will be open every day. And the collection network will be continuously improved to meet the needs of the public.

Our newsroom has received a number of calls and e-mails asking why if the State Department of Ecology is promoting free e-cycling, some people are being asked to pay anywhere from $5-15. We hopped online to the Department of Ecology's website. It turns out stores like Staples and Office Depot charge you money for what's called a drop-off box; you buy a box and can fill it with electronic recyclables. We talked to Office Depot, and they tell us they charge the money for shipping and the state's new ecology law does not affect them.