Waste Management Pledges Better Recycling Practices
by Jaymi Heimbuch, Central Coast, California on 09.30.08
Photo credit: Neubie
Last week, Waste Management stepped up and committed to get serious about eliminating e-waste from landfills. WM signed the Basel Action Network’s “Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship,” which sets out some green guidelines that will help make US and other countries much cleaner by dealing realistically with e-waste.
The pledge means that WM, our nation’s biggest recycler, promises to keep e-waste out of incinerators and landfills, will not export e-waste to developing countries or prisons for recycling, and will recycle and track e-waste through the entire recycling stream.
Keeping E-Waste Out of Landfills and Incinerators
WM, in partnership with LG and Sony, is working on getting e-waste recycling centers within 20 miles of 90% of the US population. That way, they’re within easy reach of everyone, so that e-waste dumping is avoidable and well-managed. It is also expanding its recycling to include compact florescent bulbs, batteries, and household electronics – much of which ends up in landfills because consumers don’t know how or don’t want to deal with proper disposal.
Keeping E-Waste Out of Developing Countries
As we learned with the report on EPA’s lax e-waste recycling standards, many electronics companies send their e-waste to developing countries where it is burned in a highly toxic and dangerous way. As part of WM’s pledge, e-waste from the US won’t be shipped out, but instead we will deal with it properly here in the US.
Via BAN.org
More on Waste Management:
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The TH Interview: David Steiner, CEO of Waste Management, Part 1
More on e-Waste:
New Website Helps Companies Attain Their States’ Recycling Requirements
EPA Takes a Lax Approach to E-Waste Monitoring, GAO Report Finds
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Well done WM for a major step in greening America.
If it were more convenient, then I'm quite sure everyone would participate. But even today, I live in a large city, and they don't offer neighborhood recycling everywhere (not my neighborhood). I'm jealous how some do, but don't use it to its full advantage.
Having to drive out to a recycle bin at school, or go specifically to a drop off point way out of the way makes the trip arduous just to toss some batteries.