The April event is one of eight Dutchess County events that occur year-round. Zero to Go and the City of Beacon CAC are working on organizing a 9th event this year in the City of Beacon. More details to come as plans form. These events are a wonderful way to recycle sustainably, responsibly and locally. The materials are collected by Advanced Recovery Inc., a recycling company based in Port Jervis.
Why is it important to recycle electronics and discard hazardous materials responsibly? There are many reasons, starting with dangers associated with materials typically ending up in landfills, where they leach toxic metals and chemicals into the soil and water. Many dangerous chemicals lurk in machines we use daily, from arsenic in copy machines, lead in computer monitors and mercury in CFL light bulbs. Another reason to bring materials to the event is to help conserve natural resources. Materials like copper, platinum and other rare earth elements can be reused in new products more often, helping to cut back on mining for new materials and saving money and energy in the process. Also, the more we recycle, the more the local electronics recycling companies grow and are recognized. According to internet sources, over 220 million Americans use cell phones. Where do these go when they are no longer wanted? Think of all the computers you and your family have used over the past decade, or the past two decades. Where are those computers now? In 2007, 157 million computers were discarded in the US, and 133 million ended up in landfills.As reported on CBS, CNN, NPR, and other major news media outlets, "a disproportionate burden of toxic waste, dangerous products and polluting technologies are currently being exported from rich industrialised countries to poorer developing countries." (From BAN.org) These stories and photos have reached many people in the US, and I discover that many folks I talk to at environmental events have seen the horrific footage of children in India, China, and Africa climbing through heaps of tangled wires and metal, looking for valuable material. The broken equipment contains valuable material that can be reused, but it shouldn't be done in substandard conditions by people whose health will suffer. Because of the spread of this toxic trading, an international law was passed in 1994 to stop the export of hazardous waste from rich to poorer countries. Last year, an international standard for responsible electronics recyclers called the BAN E-Stewards was launched. The nearest E-Steward to Beacon is We Recycle! in White Plains. Remember that just because a recycler isn't certified doesn't mean that they're exporting materials illegally - the international certification is new, and this is an industry that is growing fast. Be sure to ask questions and take a tour of the company that you want to recycle with so you can set your mind at ease.
One more bit of info that I must share - last summer, New York joined 22 other states in a law called the Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act. This means it'll be easier to recycle electronics, because manufacturers are required to set up a free, convenient system for the collection, handling and recycling or reuse of certain e-waste, including computers, televisions, small-scale servers, computer peripherals and small electronic equipment. This begins in mere days from now, on April 1 2011. Zero to Go will be continuously expanding the list of local electronics recycling spots as they're publicized (just scroll down to electronics).
Please register for the 4/2 event in Poughkeepsie, and spread the word about this issue. If you live in Beacon and can't make it to the event, or only have a few things to bring, The Coffee Shoppe will be collecting electronics only on March 31 and April 1 for the event.
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