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With little scrutiny or controversy, Lisa Jackson was confirmed by the Senate late last night to head the Environmental Protection Agency after a confirmation hearing where criticisms of Jackson's tenure as head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were given short shrift. In her first move as EPA chief, Jackson pledged to make science "the backbone for EPA programs [1]." In a memo sent to EPA employees today, Jackson said that reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing chemical risks, cleaning up hazardous waste and protecting America's water would receive her personal attention.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Major manufacturers and retailers recycled more than 66.5 million pounds of used consumer electronics last year in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's Plug-In To eCycling program. In reporting the tally yesterday, the EPA said the haul for 2008 is 30 percent greater than the amount recycled in 2007. The EPA program, launched in 2003, now involves more than two dozen firms . Several companies were recognized for their recycling efforts in the EPA's announcement of the program's progress. The firms singled out for mention included Dell, Staples, Best Buy, Sony, LG, Samsung, Wal-Mart, Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba. The goods recycled in the agency program last year prevented the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to the annual emissions of an estimated 15,500 cars, the EPA said.

The table below lists Web, communications, and IT contacts in EPA headquarters and Regional offices.

What is R2? The EPA has recently released a new voluntary standard for recyclers of electronic waste, called "R2." R2 stands for "responsible recycling." Unfortunately, it falls well short of "responsible", when it comes to the toxic materials. In fact, the standard is so weak in key areas that the only two participating environmental groups (the Basel Action Network and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition) both withdrew in protest from the multi‐stakeholder process in the final stages. What's Wrong with R2? R2 fails to adequately address the four biggest problems in the electronics recycling industry.What is R2? The EPA has recently released a new voluntary standard for recyclers of electronic waste, called "R2." R2 stands for "responsible recycling." Unfortunately, it falls well short of "responsible", when it comes to the toxic materials. In fact, the standard is so weak in key areas that the only two participating environmental groups (the Basel Action Network and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition) both withdrew in protest from the multi‐stakeholder process in the final stages. What's Wrong with R2? R2 fails to adequately address the four biggest problems in the electronics recycling industry.

Consumer electronics-including TVs, computers, peripherals, audio equipment, and phones-make up almost 2 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . This percentage may seem small and inconsequential, but the quantity of electronic waste is steadily rising. In fact, the EPA estimates that the number of obsolete consumer electronics sold between 1980 and 2007 is 235 million; a total weight of 2.25 million tons. Where are these 235 million units now? Eighteen percent of these products were collected for recycling; the rest are, unfortunately, sitting in landfills. Toxins (lead, mercury, flame retardants, and the like) from these electronics can seep into the soil and ground water, posing serious health and environmental risks.

PEOPLE DEMAND good data, especially when it comes to matters of human health and the environment. They get frustrated when it isn't easily available or if they feel it's incomplete or not organized in a way that's useful. So, not surprisingly, Environmental Protection Agency Chief Information Officer Molly O'Neill is intrigued by the new crop of Web 2.0 technologies that could help better deliver information and establish forums for the resulting discussions. O'Neill spoke with GCN about a successful wiki-based pilot involving the Puget Sound Leadership Council in addition to the challenges agencies face handling large amounts of data.

eCycling Highlights Digital Television Transition | en Español Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronics? Recycle Your Cell Phone. It's an Easy Call. Responsible Recycling Practices Resource Conservation Challenge partnerships and initiatives on electronics The use of electronic products has grown substantially over the past two decades, changing the way and the speed in which we communicate and how we get information and entertainment. Our growing reliance on electronics is illustrated by some remarkable figures. According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household eCycling Highlights Digital Television Transition | en Español Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronics? Recycle Your Cell Phone. It's an Easy Call. Responsible Recycling Practices Resource Conservation Challenge partnerships and initiatives on electronics The use of electronic products has grown substantially over the past two decades, changing the way and the speed in which we communicate and how we get information and entertainment. Our growing reliance on electronics is illustrated by some remarkable figures. According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household

iGo, a leading provider of portable power management, has made a pledge to support and maintain the iGo Recycles program in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency's Plug-in to eCycling. The program is a voluntary partnership between the EPA and electronics manufacturers to offer household consumers more opportunities to donate or recycle their used electronics.

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.

A paper by an EPA workgroup

A Monterey Park company has been caught by federal officials trying to send 32,000 pounds of hazardous waste from old televisions and computer monitors to China in violation of federal environmental regulations. The company, ZKW Trading, attempted to ship two 40-foot containers filled with cathode ray tubes (CRTs) - the video display parts from televisions and computer monitors that are high in lead content - to Hong Kong

A furniture refinishing company has launched a new electronics recycling program to deal with waste electronics generated by furniture remodeling projects. The Refinishing Touch is an Alpharetta, Ga., company that offers on-site furniture refinishing, re-upholstery and armoire modification services to hotel chains and the federal government. Recently the company has conducted armoire modifications for several hotel chains upgrading television sets in guest rooms from CRTs to HD flat panel displays. The company is launching the new program to deal with those discarded displays. The company will guarantee TVs accepted through the program are recycled in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and EPA industry standards as well as all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. The company also is in the process of gaining no-landfill certification for the program. Waste & Recycling News, 1/13/10.

Public Act 95-0959 became the law of the State of Illinois in September 2008. The law establishes a statewide system for recycling and/or reusing computers, monitors, televisions, and printers discarded from residences by requiring electronic manufacturers and retailers to participate in the management of discarded and unwanted electronic products.

Points consumers to places to donate or recycle electronic products

Report for U.S. EPA Region 9; June 25, 2001