by Amber Zhai
photo by Rich Pearce (richpalpine) | Flickr.com
The e-waste ban includes, but is not limited to, computers, printers, televisions, digital video disc players, monitors, laptops, notebooks, tablets, and anything with a screen that measures more than four inches diagonally. The bill was signed by Governor John Hickenlooper and sponsored by Senator Gail Schwartz.
A Recycling State of Mind
After July 1, if a resident puts an electronic device in a trash container, the sanitation department will leave it in the container and tag it with an illegal notice as a warning. Furthermore, the law dictates that counties must either have at least two e-waste recycling events per year or sponsor an ongoing e-waste program.
Although this change might inconvenience residents in the beginning, state officials are confident that it is a change that will be embraced by an already recycle-friendly state. Charlotte Pitt of Denver Recycles said, “We’ve always had great participation in our [e-waste recycling] events. We’ve hosted some of the biggest in the country in previous years.”
Individual counties are also doing what they can to support the success of the effort. According to David Willett, Interim City Manager of Northglenn, their 2013 budget provides for $30,000 to get the word out to residents and prepare them for the transition. He also mentions the possibility of contracting a vendor to provide e-waste disposal services to ease them into the change.
In addition many retailers, such as Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot, already accept and recycle electronic waste for free.
Recycle Your E-Waste Responsibly
Follow Colorado’s admirable example of environmental consciousness—sell your electronic scrap online to Cash for Electronic Scrap USA and let us recycle it responsibly. Just fill out a request form on CashforElectronicScrapUSA.com, send your old phones, tablets and PDAs in the mail, and we’ll send you a check. We make being environmentally friendly easy.
