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"From Apple iPods to HP Ink-Jet Printer Cartridges, Recycling Your e-Waste Made Easy"

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.

"Discarded electronic products and components - or e-waste, as they are collectively known - can represent either a major environmental dilemma or a massive potential economic windfall. If treated properly, much e-waste may be reclaimed or recycled for future use and converted into a significant new revenue stream. Improperly treated e-waste, on the other hand, poses a massive threat to the world's ecosystem and can result in contamination to the soil, air, and water, while also exposing workers, nearby residents, and wildlife to a multitude of health hazards. This study forecasts that the worldwide market for e-waste recovery will grow from $5.7 billion in 2009 to nearly $14.7 billion by the end of 2014, representing a CAGR of 20.8% over the forecast period. This figure represents money generated through reclamation of valuable materials from e-scrap."

"It seems like every time you turn around a new and better smartphone or HDTV set goes on sale. That's great for consumers who are eager to upgrade to the latest gadgets but it's maybe not so good for the environment. The bad news is 60% of Americans are not recycling their old gadgets. The good news is that resellers and manufacturers are rising to the occasion and implementing their own recycling services. In this Gadget Census report we look at how consumers across the country are being green with gadgets and what is being done to help manage the growing number of devices that are turning into e-waste every day. "

"Microsoft Unlimited Potential is Microsoft's commitment to reaching those currently underserved by technology, with the goal of reaching the next 1 billion people by 2015. Unlimited Potential weaves together innovative technologies, new business models and partnerships with businesses, governments and development organizations to help address the diverse social and economic challenges faced by those who currently receive little or no benefit from technology. "

Short YouTube video describing the e-waste problem.

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.

Canon Middle EastCanon Middle EastCanon Middle East CME Region-wide | Consumer Goods News | Profile | Officers , the world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions, today announced its latest environmental initiative in the Middle East with the signing of a partnership agreement with EnviroServe, the leading environmental waste managers.

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.

This is the first annual report that the Green Electronics Council plans to produce to estimate the life-cycle environmental benefits from the purchase or sale of EPEAT registered electronic products. EPEAT is a system for identifying environmentally preferable personal computers and monitors that is managed by the Green Electronics Council. The product registry and more information can be found at www.epeat.net. In EPEAT, participating manufacturers report to GEC the number of EPEAT registered products that they sell each year.

Answering questions about both e-waste disposal and recycling involves a host of challenges. For example, little information is available to allow a complete assessment of how e-waste ultimately managed. General estimates have been made about the management of cathode ray tubes (CRTs, the only devices where disposal is federally regulated), but little reliable information is available regarding other categories of e-waste. Further, little information is available regarding the total amount of functioning electronics exported to developing countries for legitimate reuse. What is known is that e-waste recycling involves complex processes and it is more costly to recycle e-waste in the United States, where there is a limited recycling infrastructure. It also is known that most consumer electronics manufacturers (who provide the market for material recovery from recycled electronics) have moved overseas.

THE first electronic waste facility in southern Tasmania will be developed by the Hobart City Council.

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

As of Aug. 15, Leduc County will be a registered site for recycling various types of rechargeable and non-rechargeable household batteries, including nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium ion (Li-ion), small sealed lead (Pb) and nickel zinc (Ni-Zn). The battery type can be found printed on the battery's casing.

Westford - The Westford Recycling Commission (WRC) facilitates three electronics recycling (E-cycling) events per year. These events provide an avenue for Westford residents to discard electronic items in an environmentally responsible manner for a minimal cost. This ensures these items stay out of the waste stream and are disposed of properly.

The City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services Department is partnering with Eco Lube to set up a mini-recycling drop-off center that will accept electronic items. The Eco Lube Service Station is located at 4901 Atlantic Avenue. This is the only recycling drop-off centers that will accept electronic items.

Urner's in Bakersfield & Neil Agness E-Waste Recycling have teamed together to provide a FREE Electronic Waste Collection Event for all Kern County Residents on Saturday, September 19th. The hours for the event will be 9am - 3pm.

More than 20,000 computers and televisions were dropped off at Canberra's tips over the weekend as part of a free e-waste disposal scheme. There were line-ups at all three drop off points. Shipping containers at the Tuggeranong site was full by early Sunday morning. It usually costs nearly $40 to dispose of a computer and a monitor but thanks to Apple, that fee was waived for the two days

Starting Sept. 5, the city is launching an electronics recycling program that will part of a statewide effort to keep electronics out of landfills. The city will set up mobile WIRED, or Westminster Initiative to Recycle E-Waste Drop-off, centers around the community over the next several months. The Sept. 5 debut location will be at Tahoma Farm Boulder Park, off Tahoma Farm Road. Future locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Living in an age of disposability has led many durable goods manufacturers to explore ways of reducing the environmental footprint their products leave during their manufacturing process and throughout their lifecycle. The sheer volume of mobile phones produced annually and the propensity of users to chase mobile technology trends leads to an average replacement cycle of between 12 and 18 months, bringing special attention to the greening efforts of mobile device manufacturers. As consumer awareness and environmental legislation continue to evolve, handset vendors are developing their corporate responsibility initiatives to develop new business practices aimed at improving the compliance and environmental sustainability of their handsets. The European commission and industry-led initiatives have made great progress in developing a set of requirements and goals for developing sustainable business practices across the entire life cycle of handset production, distribution, use and disposal. This study identifies and explores key global handset initiatives and the handsets that are coming to market as a result of vendors' efforts to minimize their environmental impact. It also offers an analysis of US consumer interest, awareness and preferences of green handset vendor initiatives. Available for purchase from ABI Research at this URL.