American consumers love gadgets. Consumer Electronics Associations estimate that the average U.S. household owns 24 electronic products and spends about $1,407 per year on new electronics. American consumers purchase 30 million computers and 130 million cell phones every year. What happens to these devices when they become obsolete?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 350,000 cell phones and 130,000 computers are thrown out every day, which creates 3–4 million tons of eWaste a year. Electronics contain materials that are hazardous to the environment. If thrown in the trash and dumped into landfills, compounds like lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, zinc, nickel, and PCBs can leak into the soil, contaminate our water supply, or escape into the air we breathe. There are better options that can extend the life of these devices and reduce their negative impact on the environment. If your used electronic device is still in working condition and fairly up-to-date, you can trade it in or donate it to someone who can use it. If it doesn’t work or is obsolete, recycle it so the components can be repurposed into new products.
The website known as www.Earth911.com estimates that 70% of discarded electronics have materials that can be recovered and repurposed. Unfortunately, less than 30% of this eWaste is recycled. Over 25 states have recently passed legislation to deal with the rapidly growing quantity of eWaste, which is considered a serious hazardous waste issue. One solution is recycling; a second solution is product stewardship.
The Product Stewardship Institute defines product stewardship as a policy that holds everyone in the product’s lifecycle responsible for minimizing the health, safety, and environmental impact, from creation to end-of-life disposition. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consumers, and recyclers all share responsibility from design to manufacturing to eventual repurposing/recycling. As a consumer, here are ways that you can reduce eWaste:
n At the point of purchase, choose products that have convenient recycling options.
n Maximize product life by taking care of your electronics.
n Once the product is ready for recycling or disposal, repurpose or reuse it around the home or office.
n When a product breaks or becomes obsolete, your best means of disposal are resale, donation, or proper recycling.
Most communities publish information online about how to handle various types of household waste. Many communities have established special sites or special events to encourage consumers to do the right thing. Check out your city or county website for local announcements. Earth911.com also has advice and listings of recycling facilities in your area. Some retailers have bins for small electronics, accessories, and print cartridges. How many times have you walked by the bins in your favorite store and realized you forgot to bring your old items for recycling?
Consumers are more aware of the issues surrounding improper disposal; however, in a survey sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service®, we learned that 35% of consumers aren’t willing to travel to a local collection center to recycle their electronics. eWaste recycling must be convenient and free or low cost.
The U.S. Postal Service is a logical intermediary for recycling and recovery services as it has received numerous accolades for corporate sustainability achievements. The U.S. Postal Service was named the most trusted government agency and the fourth most trusted company in the United States according to the Ponemon Institute. The USPS® touches every household, every day with over 30,000 Post Offices and over 140 million delivery points.
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond internal programs to reduce our corporate impact on the environment. The new Reverse Logistics Product Development group is designing “MailBack” recycling and recovery programs for consumers to leverage our presence in every community and at every mailbox. We are breaking down “inconvenience” barriers and making it easy for consumers to do the right thing and recycle their eWaste. MailBack programs are gaining in popularity — especially in rural areas — because they solve the consumer’s primary concerns:
n Infrequent and unpredictable timing of recycling events
n Transportation to events or to the drop-off center
Return for Good, powered by USPS Returns, is a collection of MailBack programs designed to simplify the disposal process for consumers. The Return for Good website helps consumers connect with certified recycling providers for a variety of products. Our first project features MaxBack.com — a website that provides opportunities to receive cash back for recent model small electronics. For those who got the new iPhone5 for Christmas, did you know you could get cash for your old iPhone 4? Go to www.usps.com/return-for-good to look up your smartphone’s value and start a cash-back transaction. If you are a USPS employee, check out the video at http://ipchecker/USPSTV/MaxBack_oc.wmv. If you are accessing the internet from outside the USPS intranet, check out the video at http://youtu.be/JfbJSQKSCKI.
Maybe you have some outdated small electronics at home — MaxBack will accept them too, but they may request that you pay the postage. If you create a shipping label online at www.usps.com and schedule a Free Package Pickup, you’ll ensure those older electronics are disposed of properly.
What about your old inkjet cartridges? There’s a MailBack solution for that, too. The Return for Good web page contains a list of the 3,100 Post Offices with a lobby display that has free postage-paid plastic envelopes to make it easier to dispose of used inkjet cartridges — and it’s free. Leave the envelope in your mailbox or drop it at your local Post Office.
Note: don’t use the envelope to send in used electronics — there isn’t enough cushioning to protect it from damage. Add Return for Good to your favorite websites, and check back often to browse more MailBack programs. For more information, go to www.usps.com/return-for-good.
