Free E Waste Recycling Now Available
Starting January 1, 2009 Washington consumers will be able to recycle their electronics for free - thanks to a law WEC helped pass in 2006.
Easy and Free
E-Cycle Washington now gives consumers an easy and, for the first time, free way to dispose of their old computers and televisions.
Groups with over 10 units to recycle should call 1-866-779-6632 for instructions.
Ground Breaking
In 2006, WEC teamed up with Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation, Hewlett-Packard, Washington Retail Association, and other non-profits to pass this bill as one of the four Environmental Priorities.
The system will provide a convenient, safe and more environmentally-sound recycling option for unwanted computers and televisions, paid for entirely by the electronics manufacturers.
At the time we won this victory, Washington was one of the first states in the nation to pass a law putting the responsibility on the producer, not the consumer, for recycling of electronics. Now other states are following our lead.
E Waste: A Growing Problem
According to the EPA’s 2007 figures, nearly 82 percent of the 2.25 million tons of e-waste generated in this country ends up in landfills or incinerators, where dangerous toxins can leach into groundwater or get released into the air. The portion collected for recycling is largely exported to developing countries, which lack regulations to protect workers or the environment. In Washington, millions of pounds of unwanted electronic products currently end up in our landfills each year.
Progress
E-Cycle Washington will change that by providing a comprehensive and convenient network of free collection sites. For the new program, the manufacturers have voluntarily committed to using recyclers who meet preferred standards developed by the Department of Ecology.
This new program is a big step forward in increasing environmental and health protections.
