iCAREd

Describes the results of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) into the health, safety, and environmental compliance practices of Federal Prison Industries' (FPI) electronic waste (ewaste) recycling program.

An Act establishing a recycling program for certain covered devices; imposing duties on manufacturers and retailers of certain covered devices; providing for the powers and duties of the Department of Environmental Protection and for enforcement; establishing the Electronic Materials Recycling Account in the General Fund; and prescribing penalties. Signed into law 11/23/10

"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. "

Research project that proposed to conduct a comprehensive study of the current CRT waste situation in the state of Florida (volume of CRT discarded, existing facilities, practices) as well as make projections on trends in future CRT waste streams. The goal of this research to answer questions about trends in volume of discarded CRTs in the future, current CRT waste management practices and trends, and capacity for handling increase in CRT disposal. Page includes links to the project reports, as well as a paper presented at the February 2010 SWANA Thinking Outside of the Blue Box Conference.

India's road map for managing electronic waste in the country.

Short YouTube video describing the e-waste problem.

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

(CNN) -- The champions at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver can stand on the podium proud of their achievements, but the eco-minded among them can be extra proud that their medals are made with traces of precious metals recovered from e-waste. According to a new report, however, a more universal solution to a growing problem needs to be found.

This is a summary of available statistics that quantify the problems of electronic waste and e‐waste recycling efforts. Each item includes its source and link to the original documents (where available), to make it easy for reporters to confirm data back to the original source. We assembled these statistics primarily for media and for legislators and advocates of e‐waste

Welcome to the Consumer Reports' Electronics Reuse & Recycling Center. Here you'll find solutions for dealing with your old Computer, Cell phone, TV and Other electronics, plus tips for buying new electronics that may last longer. You'll also find information about the growing problem of E-waste and what government and industry are doing to address it.

"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."

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.

"It's not much of a stretch to liken America's relationship with cells phones to a once sizzling romance that ends in goodbye. Fated love affairs typically begin with blind infatuation and fiery passion before reality sets in, cooling the embers enough to allow more guarded, sometimes less attractive aspects of the self to surface. Interest wanes until the love object is abandoned or replaced by an alluring new one. Americans relate to cell phones in much the same way. An old phone, with once novel features that drew fascination, is discarded with hardly a thought when an updated model makes it seem obsolete. That consumers replace cell phones about every two years makes this analogy seem less silly. A parallel can be drawn, too, between the innards of a cell phone and what is revealed when one person lets another peek inside: it's not all pretty. Some nasty materials lurk behind the bright shiny casing, making cell phone disposal a knotty environmental issue, analogous to ending, with minimal damages, a relationship gone sour. "

E-waste comprises discarded electronic appliances, of which computers and mobile telephones are disproportionately abundant because of their short lifespan. The current global production of E-waste is estimated to be 20-25 million tonnes per year, with most E-waste being produced in Europe, the United States and Australasia. China, Eastern Europe and Latin America will become major E-waste producers in the next ten years. Miniaturisation and the development of more efficient cloud computing networks, where computing services are delivered over the internet from remote locations, may offset the increase in E-waste production from global economic growth and the development of pervasive new technologies.

Officials say Howard A. Schmidt, a longtime computer security executive who worked in the Bush administration and has extensive ties to the corporate world, has been chosen to take on the task of organizing and managing the nation's increasingly vulnerable digital networks.

Electronics manufacturers, standards bodies, and legislators have begun to take notice of the Report coverhuman health and environmental concerns associated with the use of brominated and chlorinated compounds in electronic products. An array of conflicting definitions and policies have emerged to address these concerns at various levels. This report is intended to show the feasibility of re-engineering consumer electronic products to avoid the use of these compounds and recommends a definition to address human health and environmental concerns that is implementable by industry. CPA and ChemSec have compiled case studies that provide examples of seven companies that have removed most forms of bromine and chlorine from their product lines. The purpose of this report is to allow parties outside the industry to see the level of conformance that can be met today, as well as provide a tool for engineers designing the next generation of greener electronic devices.

Today, more than 40 percent of all homes in the United States contain at least one video game console. Recognizing that all that gaming could add up to serious demand for electricity, NRDC and Ecos Consulting performed the first ever comprehensive study on the energy use of video game consoles and found that they consumed an estimated 16 billion kilowatt-hours per year -- roughly equal to the annual electricity use of the city of San Diego. Through the incorporation of more user-friendly power management features, we could save approximately 11 billion kWh of electricity per year, cut our nation's electricity bill by more than $1 billion per year, and avoid emissions of more than 7 million tons of CO2 each year. In this November 2008 issue paper, NRDC provides recommendations for users, video game console manufacturers, component suppliers and the software companies that design games for improving the efficiency of video game consoles already in homes as well as future generations of machines yet to hit the shelves.

Deciding between new or used computers? Here's a rundown on the benefits of buying refurbished equipment:

"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. "

"Donate your old cell phone, PDA, digital camera, or iPod to be recycled and benefit the charity of your choice! RFC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization helping other charities with wireless recycling efforts."