E-Waste Recycling

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When Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage to deliver a candid commencement speech at Stanford this past June, a plane flew over the stadium with a banner that read: "Steve -- don't be a mini player -- recycle all e-waste."

This was the latest stunt by the Computer Take-Back Campaign (CTBC), an environmental crusade supported by activist groups who have criticized Apple for lagging behind the rest of the computer industry in its recycling efforts.

The plane's banner referred to Apple's recent announcement that it will now accept iPods for free recycling at all of its stores in exchange for 10 percent off the purchase of a new iPod. Until June, organizations like the CTBC and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) roundly denounced Apple for charging $100 to replace the battery in its highly successful mp3 players.

While Apple's latest attempt was seen as a small step toward greener pastures, it didn't assuage activist concerns. "We're glad to hear that Apple will accept its problematic iPods for free recycling," said Robin Schneider, vice-president of CTBC, "but we are calling on Mr. Jobs to offer free recycling for all of their old products."

Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to all consumer electronic products that are ready to be discarded into the waste stream. Once these devices are deposited into landfills, toxic substances leach into the earth and into the water supply. According to a recent study from the Government Accountability Office, 50 million computers become outdated each year, and studies suggest that between 315 and 600 million desktop and laptop computers will soon be obsolete.

In its semiannual report [PDF] to Congress from November 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that th...

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...eighing two bills that would establish a national e-waste recycling plan (one creates a free market approach through tax incentives while the other puts the program more squarely the hands of the EPA). Still, environmental groups agree that our best bet for now would be to allow states to create recycling practices that work best for them.

And while both the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and As You Sow are in favor of state regulations, and, ultimately, a national recycling plan, they feel that the corporations themselves should take the first steps by claiming responsibility for their own e-waste. They should adopt a chain of custody in addition to their product stewardship policies, so that they can ensure their e-waste ends up in the proper recycling facilities. "We're just hoping that companies like Apple will stand up and be good, green citizens," Kyle said.

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