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From energy efficiency to toxics used in manufacturing to end-of-life issues, the road to truly green electronics faces a steep climb. Although most companies are taking these issues very seriously, it will surely be a slow process. Every three months, the international environmental group Greenpeace rates these companies on how well they're doing -- and raises the bar a little higher. In this, the tenth quarterly Guide to Greener Electronics, Greenpeace calls on manufacturers to up their company-wide commitments to steep and rapid cuts in overall greenhouse gas emissions. Nokia maintains its top score in the ranking, earning 6.9 points out of 10 possible for its takeback program and reducing the use of toxic chemicals like PVC, brominated flame retardants and antimony trioxide. Rounding out the top four is a three-way tie between Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Samsung, all with 5.9 points. Sony earned high marks for its new environmental warranty for responsible takeback, Toshiba gains ground with its reporting of and goals toward renewable energy use and emissions reductions, and Samsung earned praise for reducing toxic chemical use and building energy-efficient products.

Richland, Wash-- If you have an old T.V. or computer to get rid of think, before you put it in your garbage. It's not illegal for households to put electronics in their trash, but it could be dangerous for ground water around landfills. All businesses are required to E-Cycle their electronics. If you take your electronics to the Richland Landfill they will dispose them for free. They have already shipped six truck loads so far.

BRISTOL, Va. - There's a flip side to that newfangled cell phone found under the Christmas tree. Sooner or later, the outdated cell phones clogging the kitchen drawer have to go. However, when they do go, don't forget that those electronic beeps and whistles are powered by mercury, cadmium, lead and other toxic metals destined to seep into, and out of, a landfill. And toxic metals, such as mercury, can cause brain and kidney damage, as well as cancer, when released into the ground and air, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reports. So, instead of dumping outdated gadgets and gizmos into the trash can, environmental and industry leaders recommend recycling, which, in the case of electronics, is known as e-cycling. For nearly six years, Bristol Virginia Public Works has picked up laptops, monitors and even fluorescent light tubes left in marked boxes by the curb. As part of a statewide e-cycling effort, the technology is carted off during regular pickups.

If you got a brand new TV this holiday season, you might wonder what to do with your old one. Putting old electronics out with the trash can be bad for the environment, says Enterprise Sanitation owner Mark Deprospero. The batteries and tubing in the equipment can contaminate the ground, he says.

If you've been waiting forever to unload that old TV or computer, Jan. 1 is your lucky day. A new state law requires electronics manufacturers to start safely recycling four of the most-discarded items, with no charge to consumers. Washington's law is the first in the nation to require electronics producers to pay for the whole process. But, please, don't everyone haul your used computers, monitors, laptops and TVs to the recycling center the first week of January, industry and government officials are pleading. They fear a glut of electronic waste clogging the system just as it gets off the ground.

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.

FRONTLINE/World presents a global investigation into the dirty secret of the digital age-the dumping of hundreds of millions of pounds of electronic waste around the world each year. Airs Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 8pm central on PBS.