Photo by: See-ming Lee | Flickr.comAs part of the push for environmental sustainability, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has challenged both electronics manufacturers and electronics retailers to commit to using only certified electronics recyclers—and a number of large and influential companies are stepping up to the plate.
What is the Challenge?
Best Buy Co. Inc, LG Electronics, Panasonic Corp, Samsung Electronics, Sharp Electronics Corp, Sprint Nextel Corp, Staples Inc, Dell Inc, Sony Corp. of America, and Nokia have all accepted the Sustainable Materials Management Electronics Challenge to recycle all of their electronic waste responsibly. That means, through the promotion and implementation of the program, the number of electronics being recycled is increasing, all of the waste is being sent to certified electronic scrap recyclers, and after three years of participation, information regarding the quantity and kind of materials being recycled will be publicly reported.
This challenge comes alongside last year’s launch of the National Strategy on Electronic Stewardship, which required the national government to process all of their electronic waste through certified recyclers. This spurred over 300 electronics recycling facilities to become certified by the Responsible Recycling (R2) and e-Stewards programs, 10% of which have earned both certifications.
The Importance of Responsible Recycling
With companies like Best Buy, Sony, and Dell all following suit to ensure responsible recycling practices, the push for environmental sustainability is gaining momentum. The EPA estimates that Americans get rid of over 2 million tons of electronics every year, including computers, processors, and hard drives. And while 438 million new consumer electronic products were sold, only 25% of the discarded electronics were recycled according to a 2009 study. And as the number of new and improved electronic items that consumers buy continues to grow every year, it is more important now than ever to employ responsible recycling practices.
The benefits of recycling old and unused electronics rather than simply throwing them away are many. In addition to just conserving resources, valuable materials such as copper and gold are recovered for reuse. The number of products being tossed into landfills decreases, and the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that come with mining raw materials to make new products are reduced.
All of Cash for Electronic Scrap USA’s recycling practices abide by the standard guidelines set forth by the EPA, and clients can receive a Certificate of Destruction/Recycling, which certifies that the facility is properly licensed and in accordance with applicable federal regulations, upon request. So if you have old or unwanted electronic waste, visit Cash for Electronic Scrap USA to find out how you can earn some cash and protect the environment’s future at the same time.
Sources:
http://www.epa.gov/smm/electronics/index.htm
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/20121004/NEWS03/121009988/update-companies-step-up-to-epas-sustainability-challenge
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/manage.htm
