12.27.2007 9:06 AM

Only 12% of Electronics Waste Is Recycled

How to Recycle E-Waste in Your Area

Pile of e-waste, electronics waste, including cell phones, computer keyboards, a modem, an answering machine and other technology gadgets.

Photo: Istock

By Dan Shapley

With only nine states having passed e-waste recycling laws, it is, sadly, no surprise that only 21% of consumers recycle old electronics. But with electronics waste abundant after Christmas, with so many people having replaced old televisions, computers, video game consoles and other electronics with new models, it's a good time to join the 21% who do recycle.

Not only do these products have materials that are valuable and can be reused profitably, but they also contain toxic materials. While each may contain only a minute amount, add them together in a landfill, or waste incinerator, and you have great potential for water or air pollution that threatens the health of nearby communities.

To find e-waste recycling options near you, start by plugging in your zip code to our Get Local Info section near the bottom right of this page. Our partner, Earth911, can help. Or, try E-cycling Central, a national database maintained by industry of local recycling opportunities. eRecycle.org lists additional options.

For information about recycling specific brands, and the ways companies try to make the process easy, read our feature How to Recycle Your Used Electronics. (Be sure to click through each page to find specific information about the product or brand you want to recycle.)

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