Podcast

1. Electronic Waste:
What Is It?
Where Does It Come From?
Why Is It Dangerous?
…And How Do We Stop It?
A Podcast
By
Elizabeth R. Miller
March 2010

2. Electronic Waste
 term used to describe waste materials
generated from electronics such as
phones, printers, televisions and
appliances

3. Why Is It So Dangerous ?
 Electronics can contain chemicals
such as lead, mercury, cadmium,
brominated flame retardants and
polyvinyl chloride (PVCs)
 These chemicals cause cancer, brain
disease, reproductive problems, and
affect both people and the
environment

4. The Problem Is Growing. Fast.
 E-Waste is the largest growing waste source
– growing by over 40 million metric tons a
year
 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
estimates only 15-20% of electronics are
recycled – the rest end up in landfills or
incinerators
 Recycled products are often shipped to
developing countries such as India, China
and Ghana

5. One Toxic Waste Site:
Guiyu, China

6. Guiyu, China

7. Guiyu, China

8. Guiyu, China

9. What Can You Do?
 First, do not throw away your old
electronics!
 If they are still working donate them so
they can be reused.
 If they are no longer and you want to
recycle them in a responsible way…..

10. Electronics TakeBack Coalition
 Visit www.computertakeback.com

11. Electronics TakeBack Coalition
 Website allows you to search for
responsible recycler in your area….
 ….if there aren’t any it provides advice
on how to learn if the manufacturer of
your product offers responsible recycling
programs
 If all else fails, there are still other
retailers like Best Buy who may be able
to help

12. What About the Companies
That Make These Products?
 Some, like Apple’s TakeBack Program
allow consumers to recycle products,
but there are some restrictions
 Dell also will take back their
electronics
 www.takebackmytv.com allows you to
learn if your television manufacturer is
acting responsibly (hint: they probably
aren’t)

13. Moving Forward…
 Some manufacturers are acting
responsibly, others are not
 Who is holding them accountable? Who
should?
 Is it simply a matter of better
education?
 Should it be mandated by law?

14. Stay Tuned!
 What’s the status of state and federal
legislation around e-waste?
 Are there other solutions to this
problem?