Dear J.D.,
Thanks to your efforts and to the efforts of thousands of other frustrated recyclers left holding a sick CPU, a mangled monitor, or a pooped-out printer, Dell has taken some good steps forward. It’s the result of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s (SVTC) national “TakeBack” campaign you joined. See? Taking action works!
This is an important success, especially for those of us here in the U.S. where electronic waste is the fastest growing portion of our waste stream with a mere 10 percent being recycled. According to SVTC, the pile of outdated or dilapidated electronics is growing to mountainous proportions—a mountain one mile high covering six acres, to be specific. Lurking inside this growing mountain are toxins like lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic that even in small quantities pose significant long-term environmental and health consequences.
In the European Union and in many other nations around the world, this threat is being addressed with national “Extended Producer Responsibility” legislation that holds manufacturers legally and financially responsible for the products they produce—from design to production to discard. I probably don’t have to tell you that we have no such federal legislation here and that holding one’s breath in anticipation of it is not recommended.
What we DO have, however, are active consumers like you, J.D., who are making noise to producers like Dell that they’d like to see manufacturers help create a solution.
After months of public pressure generated by the TakeBack campaign, Dell agreed to make some significant improvements to their recycling program for consumer electronics and committed to the development of less hazardous products. Dell’s first step was to allow customers to recycle any computer from any manufacturer by registering online for a Dell Recycling kit. The kit arrives in the mail containing a pre-paid air bill and instructions on how to pack and ship the unwanted equipment.
That’s a good beginning. What’s needed now is for Dell to provide or support more convenient, local electronic recycling. They’re starting down that path, funding some pilot ongoing collections with Goodwill. Electronic recycling programs like Eco-Cycle’s are encouraging Dell to also become a partner for established local electronics recycling programs.
It’s good news, J.D., but don’t put that postcard pen down yet, because Dell is only one slice of the pie. Next stop: Apple. The TakeBack campaign is now challenging Apple CEO Steve Jobs to adopt at least the Extended Producer Responsibility model that Dell has. In response, Apple recently announced it will accept old iPods at all of its stores for recycling, free-of-charge.
Robin Schneider, vice-chair of the national Computer TakeBack Campaign, wants to see a bit more. “Apple is finally listening to us and to their American consumers...Now Apple needs to agree to take back its whole range of products and to offer convenient take-back to consumers who don't live near Apple stores.” So J.D., use the power of your pen again. Visit the TakeBack campaign and tell Steve Jobs: Don't be a mini-player, take back all your toxic trash! While you’re there, take a look at the “computer report card” to learn which companies are taking responsibility and which are not.
