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Responsible TV Recycling
TVs and other electronics don’t belong in our landfills – even though it’s legal in many states to trash your old electronics. The toxics in these products can leach into the groundwater and surface water over time, plus there are useful materials in electronics that can be recovered through recycling. But how can you tell if your local recycler is a responsible recycler, and isn’t simply exporting your old TV to some developing country around the globe?
E-Stewards Program
Currently there is no certification program that audits recyclers to high standards. (That is coming soon, but isn’t available yet.) In the meantime, the best way to find a responsible recycler is to work with an e-Steward. This is a recycler who has pledged to voluntarily comply with high standards, including:
- not exporting toxics to developing countries
- not using prison labor recycling, and
- not incinerating e-waste
Our partner organization, the Basel Action Network, administers the e-Steward program.
To find an e-Steward near you, click here for our map and then click on your state.
Press Coverage
Electronics Recycling - Who’s Responsible?
Recycling Today12-29-09 -- As the lawsuit challenging New York City’s electronics take-back law prepares for opening arguments in mid-January, industry associations and electronics recycling advocates wonder what effect the court’s ruling will have on the future of producer responsibility.
A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics
The New York Times06-30-09 -- The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 99.1 million televisions sit unused in closets and basements across the country. Consumer response to recycling has been enormous in states where the laws have taken effect.
LCD and plasma TV sales brighten retail picture
Los Angeles Times06-29-09 -- Slashed prices, the digital transition and a budget-prompted tendency to spend more time at home motivate consumers to upgrade their televisions.
