http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/pcworld/20050801/tc_pcworld/122044

According to this article, A 2003 EPA report estimates that roughly 50 million computers and 20 million televisions are disposed of each year, but that only 10 percent are recycled. That's a big deal, considering that consumer electronics often contain

http://recycleworks.dev.ikorb.com/ewaste

heavy metals such as lead and mercury</a>, not to mention all of the plastic and other materials, which could be recycled or properly disposed of. The bill will rely "on incentives, rather than up-front fees or end-of-life penalties, to deal with electronic waste."

This is, supposedly, a "bi-partisan effort." I hope this actually works out, because it's a very serious issue that many have absolutely no idea about. We toss our old TVs and computers with nary a thought as to the environmental consequences, and it's high time we started thinking about that.

8/2/2005 8:54:41 AM

People should be charged for throwing hazardous waste into the environment. That said, I thought there were a lot of businesses mining old electronics for gold?

8/2/2005 9:08:42 AM

fuck if im going to pay money for the pleasure of dragging old computer equipment 30 miles to the one guy who recycles this stuff.

8/2/2005 9:15:25 AM

^^ it started that way, but i think that it's the components that bring in more money now because of the small amount of precious metals in the electronics

the gold itself is worth more, but the small amount of gold vs. the shit-ton of electronic components means that the recyclers make more money off salvaging those components

8/2/2005 9:32:07 AM

alot of these programs are going to attempt to either be revenue neutral for the consumer or simply charge the company rather than the consumer. If the company's charged, it might up the price of the products, but I'd rather pay that price than have even higher levels of mercury and lead in the environment

8/2/2005 9:40:40 AM

if someone wants to come and pick up the stuff for free thats great. im all for it.

8/2/2005 9:41:45 AM

you should be able to set that stuff out like you can recyclables and have it picked up once a week and disposed of properly.

8/2/2005 9:51:11 AM

i think wake county lets you drop off computers and whatnot at some of their recycling drop-off sites.

8/2/2005 9:58:34 AM

should just drop them off at sullivan.

god i had so much useless computer crap.

8/2/2005 1:53:02 PM