Statement issued Wednesday:
When the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was established 25 years ago, the flat screen televisions, smartphones and laptop computers of today were only imaginary. The fast pace of advancing technology quickly makes even the latest models obsolete, and the shelf life on many items can be short-lived. Until recently, unwanted items were usually discarded into the trash, bound for landfills or incinerators where minute amounts of toxic metals could be released into the environment.
Fortunately, habits are changing for the better in Indiana and electronics recycling is on the rise. This is due to new state laws that require manufactures to collect old electronics and prohibit devices from being mixed in with curbside trash.
There is no danger in our normal use of these items, but lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and bromated flame retardants in discarded circuit boards, displays, batteries, color cathode ray tubes and plastics poses an environmental risk. A CRT monitor, for example, contains approximately four pounds of lead that can be reused in the manufacture of new items. Recycling keeps these components out of our landfills and allows manufacturers to extract valuable metals and plastics to make new products. Reusing and recycling the materials from end-of-life electronics also conserves natural resources and minimizes air and water pollution emissions from the manufacturing process.
“We always encourage recycling over discarding items in the garbage,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “The steel, glass, plastic and metals in old electronics are in demand by manufacturers, and recycling electronics is a simple but significant way we can prevent pollution. With more than six million Hoosiers living in Indiana, what we recycle as individuals adds up to a significant impact.”
Before deciding what to do with outdated or broken electronics, contact your local solid waste management district to learn more about electronics recycling. A county by county listing can be found at www.recycle.IN.gov. For more information about national efforts to address electronics waste, visit U.S. EPA’s Plug-in To eCycling Web site.
About IDEM
Established in 1986, IDEM (www.idem.IN.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment. As the agency celebrates its 25th anniversary in April, IDEM is issuing a series of news releases to highlight environmental accomplishments and important challenges that lie ahead.
