It is commonly known that electronics should be recycled. Several
laws govern the recycling and/or disposal of these, but what do the
laws say that you need to know?
The Basics
- Federal recycling and disposal laws come directly from the EPA.
They are available to the public. - Federal laws permit persons to throw up to 120 KG (about 240
pounds) of electronics in the trash every month, just as with any
other solid waist. - Some electronics, such as CRTs (monitors and televisions), and
some small devices like cell phones, test positive for hazardous
materials and are subject to some exemptions.
Caveats
- EPA regulations must be obeyed or serious fines can be incurred.
Consider also that EPA censure brings bad publicity, which of course
leads to loss of business. - Though federal laws restrict the disposal of electronics in land
fills, most state laws are much more restrictive. Organizations should
check the laws in their state to insure compliance. - Recycled technology should have all data removed from it to
prevent data breach and loss of confidential information. - Though many businesses pay to have materials recycled, there are
actually organizations that pay for components that are unwanted, such as: hard drives, processors and ram, up to whole server systems.
Beneficial Recycling
Recycling is beneficial, not only for the environment, but for
organizations. While some associate recycling with melting down and
harvesting of metals, recycling also applies to reuse of components.
Partnering with an equipment reseller will bring maximum return on
investment for equipment that is no longer needed or wanted.
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