Winter 2004/2005
Electronics
Download the Winter 2004/2005
Newsletter
Disposing of obsolete and unwanted electronic equipment is becoming an increasingly complex task for residents and organizations. At both the state and federal level, regulations have been passed to define what ‘electronic waste’ or ‘e-waste’ means and, more importantly, how to manage it. According to a recent publication for The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) it has been determined that between the years of 2000 and 2005, 6.5 million units of e-waste will be generated in Colorado by residents and businesses.1
Televisions, VCRs, Computer monitors, CPUs (Towers), keyboards, and printers all have circuit boards that contain toxic metals. The average computer monitor has a lead concentration that is more than three times the federal limit for what should enter a landfill.2 If the E-waste stream is not captured and recycled potentially 51,094 tons of lead could enter our Colorado landfills in the next 15 years.1 These toxic materials can leach into our groundwater from the landfills and create potentially significant future economic costs to clean ground water and for landfill closure. These are the environmental and long-term economic costs of land filling e-waste.
Reuse instead of recycling is generally a preferred environmental alternative. Economically this will benefit you the most if you can resell it, however if it is obsolete you may get very little, if any, return. If you decide to donate your electronic devices you could be unwittingly passing disposal costs on to the recipient. If you’re looking to make money or help a non-profit with your technology equipment, rather than pay recycling costs, then sell or donate it before it becomes obsolete! Whatever organization you decide to donate to, call them before to see if they can use it. Be prepared to tell them what model and year you have and how well it works.
Recycling is an option for electronics that can no longer be reused. There is usually a fee associated with recycling electronics due to the bulky and toxic nature of the material. Legitimate recycling means dismantling of the computers and other electronic equipment into core materials of plastic, glass, and metal for resource recovery. You could try to contact the product manufacturer and see if they have what is called a “Take Back” program. Another option is to utilize a local e-waste drop off facility, annual recycling event, or (depending on quantity) order pickup service. No matter what option you choose make sure you ask where your e-waste is going and how it will be managed to ensure it is handled in a legal and environmental manner.
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1 Final Report, CRT Recycling Project for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment June 2004.
2 Characterization Of Lead Leachability From Cathode Ray Tubes Using The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, December 1999
About the Author: Sammie D. Baratta is the Environmental Director of LifeSpan Technology Recycling. Lifespan assists businesses, municipalities, and residents manage unwanted and obsolete electronic equipment in an environmentally-safe and cost-effective manner. For more information, please visit Life Span Recycling or call 970-256-0182. Life Span has worked in the Grand Valley for almost 3 years establishing an electronics recycling infrastructure. Last year LifeSpan was attributed with recycling 25% of Colorado’s recycled e-waste.
Recycle your Christmas Tree At a New Location!
The Christmas tree chipping program is being moved from the River Road location to the Orchard Mesa Cemetery this year. Take Highway 50 to the light at the intersection with Unaweep. Turn west on Canon and follow the signs. You may drop off your trees between December 26th and January 31st. For more information phone 244-1570.
GJ CRI will once again pick up your tree at a cost of $5.00 per tree. The collection day will be Friday, January 14th. Please call us in advance (242-1036) to schedule and arrange payment.
Please Remember: Whether you are having us pick up your tree or dropping it off yourself, remove all tinsel and decorations!
Year End Program Report
In 2004 our dedicated base of fervent recyclers kept us very busy with a growing stream of clean, marketable materials. The efforts of this core group of caring residents was augmented by over 350 new recyclers, many who are new residents moving into the area.
Domestic markets for the materials collected remained steady. Our particular mix of newsprint, magazines, catalogues, opened junk mail and residential office paper was in high demand. The efforts by our staff to increase participation and the additional recycling by City residents has helped bring in material much needed by stateside mills. Collection of newsprint and other fibers went up 30% over 2003, but even with a 60% increase in the quantity of clean, contamination free corrugated cardboard collected, we were unable to fill all the orders from cardboard processors.
There is every indication that by December 31st of this year our energetic, dedicated, and professional staff at GJ CRI will have processed nearly three million pounds of material.
Everyone should be proud of what has been accomplished this past year!. Many thanks to our customers, our staff, the mills who work with us, the City staff, who are our partners, and our cadre of regular independent truckers who get all this material to market.
Your Questions
I thought the recycling service was only $1.75 per month. Why does my City utility bill show $9.82 for Trash/Recycling?
You are looking at a combined bill. With a 64 gallon trash container this breaks down to $8.07 for weekly trash pick up and $1.75 for monthly recycling pick up.
Since recycler’s are doing all the work and saving resources and landfill space, why doesn’t the City make non recycler’s pay?
Setting up that kind of program would be extremely costly, as everyone would insist on being signed up as a “recycler” to avoid the charge. Vehicles and staff would need to be increased at least four fold to service the entire city and there is no way to guarantee that these new “recyclers” actually participate.
By making the larger trash containers more expensive than a smaller one, even with recycling, the City does have a type of “volume based” rate that involves those who generate more waste in helping pay for the program. More aggressive measures might include a recycling fee in all trash customers’ bills, but this suggestion has been defeated locally in the past and, again, would escalate programs costs. Please contact City Council Members if you feel strongly about these issues.
Get The Neighbors Involved!
This next idea was sent to us by a Curbside Recycler and we thought it was a terrific way for suggesting to your friends and neighbors that they recycle. Just clip this out, sign it, and pass it on to someone you know. Make as many copies as you like! What an easy way to ….
GET THE NEIGHBORS INVOLVED!
(If you don’t like this wording, maybe you can come up with something similar that suits you)
