According to the latest report in the Raymond Communications (College Park Md.) newsletter, electronics and some mercury-containing products were banned from landfill in King County, Wash., as of Oct. 1, 2005. Residents and businesses are asked to take these items to Take It Back Network member locations or to private sector recyclers, where they may have to pay a fee.
Electronics included in the ban are cell phones, computers, monitors, laptops and televisions. Prohibited mercury-containing include button batteries, thermometers, hearing aids, florescent bulbs and tubes, mercury switches; thermometers and thermostats.
Lisa Sepansky, of the King County Solid Waste Division, said, “Rather than taking it to our eight transfer stations we now have 32 Take it Back network locations for recycling.” She also said that she doesn’t think the ban will have much of an impact on the community because it will give them more choices.
The Take it Back Network is a group of retailers, repair shops, recyclers, waste haulers, and nonprofit organizations that recycle or reuse electronic equipment.
Staples stores in King County will be joining the Take it Back Network to aid the county in recycling electronic waste. Staples will be charging a fee to cover labor costs for the handling, transport, and product disassembly.
Shenzhen, China Bans Ozone Depleting Substances
By Ee Lin Wan - Asia Correspondent
In an unusual move, Shenzhen, an industrial city in South China, announced that it will ban the use of electrical equipment containing ozone depleting substances.
According to the statement issued by environmental officers in Shenzhen, the production, usage, storage, and sale of refrigerators, cooling equipment, cars, and air conditioners containing chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) must be replaced with environmental friendly products.
The deadline for compliance is July 1, 2007, giving consumers enough time to budget for and purchase newer electrical products that do not emit CFCs. In addition, all electrical recycling, disposal, and treatment plants in Shenzhen must now contain special vents that prevent CFC leakage while the used item is being processed.
According to officers in Shenzhen, the province wants to serve as a role model for the rest of China. Currently, China accounts for 50 percent of worldwide CFC emission.
Report Covers Worldwide Battery Regulations
Battery Recovery Laws Worldwide, a new 100-page report from Raymond Communications, covers the most recent battery recycling/recovery laws and regulations in 30 leading countries. The report includes labeling symbols, collection schemes, the rationale behind the laws and more. All major technologies, from Ni-Cd to Lead Acid, are covered.
Available in print or on CD-ROM, this is a convenient reference guide for manufacturers and worldwide distributors of battery-containing products.
Source: Kristina Gawrgy, Raymond Communications
