Electronic waste deserves attention

3/13/07

The life cycle of the average consumer electronics good grows shorter by the year. Wide-screen televisions beget plasma versions, new computer processors move faster and cell phones shrink every few weeks. But as the latest model ages, consumers face a quandary — surely you can’t just throw an old laptop in the trash?
The problem of “e-waste” has turned into a major environmental issue. In addition to a number of precious metals, electronics contain varying amounts of toxins including lead, mercury and chromium, among others. Discarded computers, televisions, cell phones, cameras and batteries that are sent to landfills can end up leaching hazardous materials into the environment.
The state is starting to take notice. The Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority is expanding its drive-up electronic recycling programs after demand last year far exceeded capacity — it turns out a lot of people have rusting VCRs and Commodore 64s lying around the basement. More importantly, a bill is before the Legislature’s Environmental Committee to create a separate electronic recycling agency.
While an extra layer of bureaucracy is seldom the answer to just about anything, this proposal makes sense. E-waste is a growing problem, and people seem to like their digital cameras, so there’s no sense hoping the problem will go away; the state is right to pay attention.
With the sheer tonnage of electronic goods produced and consumed in this country, the United States is considered a poor example of
e-waste disposal protocol. Aside from the dangers at U.S. landfills, thousands of tons each year end up in the developing world, where lax or nonexistent environmental regulations lead to widespread health hazards as people search for small quantities of precious metals. Far too few electronic devices are recycled, and the ecological implications are stark; as a rich state, Connecticut has an obligation to do its part. A wider recycling program for the mountains of BlackBerrys and iPods coming down the pike is a worthy endeavor.