CVSWMD » Electronic Waste

Electronics Collections

will — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:42:20 +0000

Besides the ongoing collection of e-waste at the District’s Barre Town Recycling Depot, each year the District holds several special electronics collections in different parts of the District.

2009 Schedule

Month of May at the Bradford Recycling Depot during regular depot hours (Saturdays, 8am to noon)

Month of June at the Calais Recycling Depot during regular depot hours (Saturdays, 9am to noon)

Month of July at the Tunbridge Transfer Station during regular depot hours (Saturdays, 9am to 3pm)

Month of September at the Hardwick Recycling Depot during regular depot hours (Saturdays, 8am to 3:30pm)

Vermont Button Cell Battery Take-Back Program

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:05:41 +0000

The following pharmacies within the CVSWMD are participating in a Button Cell Battery Take-Back Program with the state of Vermont. Residents can bring button cell batteries to these locations for safe disposal at no cost.

Please note: This is for button cell batteries ONLY.

Residents can still safely dispose of button cell batteries at CVSWMD Household Hazardous Waste collections, but this is a convenient year-round option.

Brooks Pharmacy, Barre — 476-4311
The Medicine Shoppe, Barre — 479-3381
Harry’s Discount Pharmacy, Barre — 479-2521
Kinney Drugs, Barre — 476-6659
Rite Aid Pharmacy, Montpelier — 223-4787
Northfield Pharmacy, Northfield — 485-4771
Brooks Pharmacy, Northfield — 485-8584
Brooks Pharmacy, Montpelier — 223-3551

Which button cell batteries contain mercury?

The following button cell batteries contain mercury, although almost all button cell batteries made in the U.S. contain at least a little bit of mercury:

alkaline manganese
silver oxide
zinc-air
mercuric-oxide

What kinds of items run on button cell batteries?

Watches
Hearing Aids
Calculators
Pacemakers
Digital thermometers
Bicycle odometer/speedometer
Some children’s toys and games

Battery Basics

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:00:47 +0000

About 3 billion household batteries are used and discarded in the U.S. each year, creating more than 125,000 tons of battery garbage.

Reduce the amount of battery waste you generate by avoiding battery-required items when possible, and investing in rechargeable batteries. But once you’re done with those batteries–whether they’re regular batteries or rechargeables–disposing of them properly is essential.

Household batteries may contain heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, and lead. Improper disposal may provide a means for these heavy metals to be released into the air, groundwater, lakes, and streams via landfill runoff and incineration.

Recycling and Disposal by Type

Alkaline, Manganese, Carbon-zinc, and Zinc-air

Used for: flashlights, calculators, toys, clocks, smoke alarms, remote controls, garage door openers, transistor radios
Sizes: AAA, AA, C, D, and some in 6V, 9V
Proper Disposal: Place in trash. Spent rechargeable alkaline batteries can also be disposed with household trash. Please note: Alkaline batteries manufactured before 1996 may contain higher levels of mercury; please bring them to a Household Hazardous Waste Collection.

Button

Used for: watches, hearing aids, toys, remote controls
Sizes: vary, but resemble “buttons” in shape
Proper Disposal: These batteries contain mercury and silver. See VT Button Cell Battery Takeback Program for free, safe, year-round disposal. Or bring them to a seasonal CVSWMD Household Hazardous Waste collection.

Lithium

Used for: cameras, calculators, computer memory back-up, sneakers, greeting cards.
Sizes: 3V, 6V, 3V button; usually has “lithium” label on the battery.
Proper Disposal: Bring to a seasonal CVSWMD Household Hazardous Waste Collection.
Encourage Greeting Card Battery Take Back! Contact the companies you buy greeting cards from and ask them to take back their cards that include batteries for safe recycling and disposal.

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd or Ni-Cad) Rechargeable and Lithium Ion Rechargeable

Used for: flashlights, toys, cell phones, power tools, computer packs
Sizes: AAA, AA, C, D, 6V, 9V
Proper Disposal: Both batteries contain metals and are hazardous wastes. Recycle for free at the District office — 137 Barre St., Montpelier. Or, dispose of safely at a seasonal Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Nickel Metal Hydride (NI-MH) Rechargeable

Used for: cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders
Proper Disposal: Recycle for free at the CVSWMD office — 137 Barre St., Montpelier. Please note: Battery must be 2 lbs. or smaller for collection boxes. If larger than 2 lbs., call the District for assistance. Or, dispose of safely at a seasonal Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Small Sealed Lead Acid (SLA Rechargeable) and Lead Acid Car Batteries

Used for: video cameras, power tools, metal detectors, cameras; large batteries for automobiles.
Sizes: Multiples of 2 volts – 2V, 6V, 12V; and large car batteries
Proper Disposal: Lead acid batteries are hazardous. Recycle small (less than 2 lbs.) sealed lead acid batteries for free at the District office — 137 Barre St., Montpelier. Or, dispose of safely at a seasonal Household Hazardous Waste Collection.
Lead acid car batteries: Many auto repair shops, auto parts stores, and metal salvage yards will accept automotive batteries for recycling. Please contact them directly.

Manufacturer Take-Back

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:51:30 +0000

Encouraging manufacturer take-back programs is one of the best steps for long-term management of the growing e-waste problem.

Right now, the U.S. lags far behind Europe in requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for the waste their products produce. Municipal and state government have borne the responsibility of managing this ever-growing hazardous waste without any financial support from the companies that created it. But Electronics Take-Back programs are beginning to make some strides and some manufacturers are jumping on board early on.

Four states — California, Maine, Maryland, and Washington — have signed laws requiring some level of manufacturer responsibility, with the law passed in March 2006 in Washington state the most aggressive to date. (Manufacturer take-back legislation was introduced in the VT legislature in 2005 but didn’t get very far.) Take-Back programs currently target computers and TVs, but could evolve to include all electronics on the market that are manufactured with the kinds of materials that make them a risk for disposal–heavy metals like lead, fire retardants, mercury, and more.

Help encourage manufacturer take-back programs!

Contact your legislators for an update on the take-back legislation effort in VT,
Contact the manufacturers whose products you buy and request more aggressive take-back programs, and/or
Get involved in the national effort. See www.computertakeback.com and www.takebackmytv.com.

In response to increasing consumer and legislative pressure, some electronics manufacturers now offer take-back programs for some products. These are essentially recycling programs, akin to recycling your e-waste at the CVSWMD’s Barre Town Recycling Depot, but the manufacturer covers some or all of the costs, including shipping.

Some offer free recycling for old systems when you purchase a new one, and others also offer fee-based recycling for a variety of electronic products.

The Computer TakeBack Campaign published a helpful report in Oct. 2006 entitled: Recycling Your Computer: Which computer companies will take back your old computer? It covers the major manufacturers and take-back program details for each.

Greener Electronics

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:49:56 +0000

It’s all the hazardous components that make electronics so toxic. Reuse helps keep good electronics in use, while recycling programs help keep them out of the landfill when their useful life is through. But, all of the materials that go into making electronics and the energy used to manufacture and run them come at a high cost.

Buy Greener!

There are a few Web sites to help you select environmentally preferable computers. One site offers a purchasing tool called the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). It’s designed to help purchasers evaluate, compare, and select desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on their environmental attributes, including the elimination or reduction of added lead, mercury, chromium, flame retardants and plasticizers, the use of postconsumer plastic, and much more. See www.EPEAT.net for more information.

Other help can be found via www.greenerchoices.org. This Consumer Reports site has an Electronics Reuse & Recycling Center which offers information about e-waste issues, maintenance and upgrading tips, and tips for buying new.

Also check out the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics.

Reduce the Juice, too!

While you’re considering greener electronics purchases, also consider the energy all of your electronics consume and how you might begin to reduce their environmental impact.

Consumer electronics account for 11% of residential electricity, according to a Consumer Electronics Association Study. With that electricity coming from a wide mix of sources — nuclear and coal burning plants, with methane generation at landfills, hydro, and maybe a little wind and solar thrown in — that 11% can be a real contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Electronics Recycling

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:48:54 +0000

Recycling old electronics, rather than tossing them in the trash, keeps all of the resources that go into making the equipment in use. AND keeps all of the very toxic components in electronic devices out of the landfill.

The toxic materials used to manufacture today’s electronics include such familiar heavy metals as mercury, lead, and cadmium, plus fire retardants and a wide variety of chemicals. For example, one average TV screen contains between four and eight pounds of lead. Both lead and mercury are known to damage human nervous systems. And none of it belongs in our landfills.

E-waste brought to the depot for recycling.

Where can you recycle electronics?

The CVSWMD’s E-Waste Recycling Program will be changing this winter; we’ll post the new program information this spring.

In the meantime, please contact the following for E-Waste recycling assistance, including recycling prices and directions to their stores/facilities:

Casella (Montpelier) — 223-7045
Computer Barn (Barre) — www.computerbarnltd.net; 802-476-6800
Small Dog Electronics (Waitsfield and S. Burlington) — www.smalldog.com; 800-511-MACS

Electronics Reuse

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:46:21 +0000

Keeping electronics in use as long as possible is the best way to reduce all the e-waste that’s piling up in basements, attics, recycling centers, and landfills around the country.

There are three ways to do so:

1. Upgrade (vs. replace) existing systems

New operating systems and software sometimes necessitate the purchase of new computers. But sometimes we just need to upgrade our existing system to get a bit more life out of it. Some more RAM or a new hard drive might do the trick. Upgrading will keep all of the resources that went into making your computer in use longer.

Wondering how to get an upgrade done? Call computer dealers for service recommendations, or see the CVSWMD Reuse Business Database for some of the businesses in the region.

2. Re-think whether you really need new.

Sure, it’s tempting to want the most up-to-date cell phone, digital camera, or other electronic device with all the bells and whistles. But before you rush out to buy it, really think about why you want it — and if you really need it.

Have your needs changed since you purchased the phone or camera you have now?
If you really only need the new feature once or even occasionally, could you borrow the device from a friend or locate a business that might offer the service? For example, print and copy shops offer scanning and printing services that might reduce your need for those electronic items.
Businesses that sell quality used electronics might also have what you need.
TV Converter Boxes take your analog TV to HD! There’s no need to run out and buy a new TV. Converter boxes are now available, and are sold where TVs are sold. See www.dtv.gov for coupons to help cover the cost of buying the converter, and more information. A limited number of coupons are available, so don’t delay!

3. Donate or sell usable electronics to those who can use them.

Just because you can’t use the computer system, scanner, or camera anymore, doesn’t mean it’s not useful to someone else. Contact local schools, literacy programs, and non-profits to see if they can use it.

A variety of online electronics sales options now exist. Check out the following companies, all of which guarantee that the items you sell or donate to them will be reused or responsibly recycled.

Or, search the CVSWMD Reuse Business Database for area businesses that buy and sell quality reuseable goods of all kinds, including electronics.

Electronic Waste

will — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:43:36 +0000

Electronic waste — or e-waste as it’s commonly called — is a growing solid waste problem. The ever-increasing volume of electronic products, from computers and cell phones to digital cameras and i-pods, means an ever-increasing volume of waste. So many electronic products are intentionally designed for a short life span that two to three years out of a computer system is a “good deal” these days.

So, what can we do? The following five steps can help:

More than 45 TONS of electronics were recycled through the District’s program from July 2007 through June 2008.