Trying to Keep up with the Times? Many of us are.
Did you know... The United States disposes somewhere between 300 million and 400 million electronic items per year. Less than 20% of that electronic waste (aka. e-waste) is being properly placed in recycling markets.
Upgrading to the newest means of technology can be super exciting and rewarding when finally getting to experience the most talked about gadget of the year. But, many of us forget or don't even know about the negative effects that disposal of our obsolete electronics can have on our environment. Fortunately, there ARE better ways to dispose of electronics than placing them out with your trash.
What's so bad about E-Waste?
As with standard recyclables, electronics that end up in landfill waste away forever. Many of these items are made of plastics and metals that can be melted down and used to make new products, saving energy and resources. Choosing to landfill these products means losing the value of those resources forever.
However, electronics are even MORE dangerous than typical products that are landfilled. E-waste contains materials such as antimony, arsenic, lead, and mercury, all of which have the potential to leak from the landfill, contributing to numerous adverse effects on humans, wildlife, plant life, and our water supplies.
Did you know...A single Cathode Ray Tube monitor (aka. Non-flat screen TVs and old computer monitors) contains between 4.5
and 7 pounds of lead! Many of these monitors are improperly disposed of and placed in garbage cans to be picked up on a daily basis!
It is no surprise that improper e-waste disposal is a contributing factor in damaging lungs, developing various cancers, and frequent seizing.
The Good News
American Disposal Services is now offering the option to dispose of your e-waste properly!
**Please DO NOT put e-waste out on your regular recycling collection day. You must call in to schedule your time for special e-waste pick-up.
How?
VA Residential Customers:
This can be done by calling into our Customer Service Center at (703) 368-0500, Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm. Speak with a Customer Service Representative to get more information on this new and special program.
VA, DC, & MD Commercial Customers:
American Disposal Services is capable of hosting E-Waste Drives at your facility in which electronics that are often disposed of in bulk, can be collected and disposed of properly AND SECURELY. Please contact your ADS Territory Manager in order to set-up a date to hold your drive.
Items to Recycle
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) issued by the EPA: televisions, monitors, computers, computer peripherals, audio and stereo equipment, VCRs, DVD players, video cameras, telephones, facsimiles, copying machines, cell phones, wireless devices and video game consoles are primary examples of electronics. Kitchen appliances and other household electronics can also be recycled!
* Statistics provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, PCRecycler, and www.dosomething.org
