United States
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WHAT CAN YOU
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Resource Conservation Challenge:
Green Initiatives—Electronics
With an ever-increasing demand for new electronic gadgets, Americans are storing or dis-
carding millions of tons of obsolete electronic items. Recent estimates indicate that we
recycle less than 10 percent of all our unwanted electronic products, which includes com-
puters, televisions, and cell phones, to name just a few. Thanks to collaborative efforts of
public and private organizations, we have tremendous opportunities to reuse and recycle
this equipment. What's more, as the demand for new products grows, we have even
greater opportunities to influence not only their environmentally sound design, but also to
get smart about buying and using products that are better for the environment. It's a fact:
The environmentally smart design and purchase of new electronic products combined
with the reuse and recycling of old ones, saves energy and uses resources more efficiently.
The main goal of the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is to change the way
Americans think about waste—to see the value of a used material as a product or com-
modity, not a waste. We want people to realize their impact on the environment—whether
buying a new computer or disposing of an old cell phone. To help make this change hap-
pen, the RCC relies heavily on voluntary partnerships to promote and encourage the
reuse and recycling of used electronic products. Positive economic rewards and environ-
mental results are moving our partners toward more waste reduction and materials
management. By committing ourselves to reduce more waste, to reuse and recycle more
materials, to buy more recycled and recyclable products, and to reduce toxic chemicals in
electronic products and waste, we conserve energy and preserve natural resources.
Goal: Target All Phases of Electronics Life Cycle
The RCC's main goal for e-waste is to get manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and state
and local governments to cooperate in a national plan that:
• Reduces the amount of toxic chemicals used in electronics
• Reduces the amount of energy used by electronic products
• Reduces the amount of manufacturing and consumer waste produced every year
• Provides a future infrastructure for recycling and reusing old electronic equipment
To establish this national plan, the RCC is working with equipment manufacturers and
retailers, state and local governments and other federal agencies, large commercial pur-
chasers, and the general public.
HESOURCE CONSERVATION
CHALLENGE
Recycled/Recyclable. Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer, Process Chlorine Free Paper
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RCC Partnerships Address Electronics Life Cycles
RCC partners are working together to harness institutional purchasing power in order to increase
the demand for "green" electronics. They also are establishing best practices for the operation
and maintenance of electronic products, and providing opportunities to safely reuse and recycle
old or unwanted products. Examples of current initiatives include the following:
• Design for the Environment (DfE) Program.
DfE works to integrate health and environmental considerations into manufacturing and
business decisions. Its goal is to produce products and processes that are cleaner, more
cost-effective, and safer for workers and the public. Over the past decade, DfE has identi-
fied cleaner technologies and alternative materials that are currently being used in
manufacturing electronics.
• Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).
EPEAT, developed in partnership with industry and government, is an environmental pro-
curement tool designed to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors
evaluate, compare, and select desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on their
environmental attributes in the manufacturing and use.
• Federal Electronics Challenge.
This voluntary partnership works with federal departments and agencies to increase the
purchase green electronic products, reduce the environmental impacts of electronic prod-
ucts, and manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way.
• Plug-In To eCycling.
Plug-In provides the public with information about, and increased opportunities for, safely
reusing and recycling obsolete electronic products, such as computers, cell phones, and
televisions. The partnership also promotes shared responsibility for safe electronics recy-
cling with communities, electronics manufacturers, and retailers. The partnership also
operates pilot projects that test innovative approaches to recycle electronics safely.
• Safe Recycling Guidelines.
Guidelines for Materials Management assist RCC Plug-In partners in ensuring the safe
recycling of unwanted electronic products.
• Partnering with the Mobile Phone Manufacturers.
The RCC is working with 10 major mobile phone manufacturers to improve the environ-
mentally sound management of unwanted mobile phones.
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Resource Conservation Challenge
The RCC challenges everyone to accept responsibility and rededicate themselves to conserving
resources. Accepting responsibility for improving our environment means changing our habits,
processes, and practices. Everyone has a role. Businesses, consumers, and governments work
together to make changes resulting in products designed to be more easily reused and recycled.
Manufacturers can make products less toxic and more recyclable, and prevent and recycle waste.
Individuals and businesses can change their buying and disposal habits, seeking less toxic prod-
ucts and recycling at every opportunity. For more information on the RCC, see .
Resources
Electronics Industries Alliance (EIA) Consumer Education Initiative (www.eiae.org) is a Web-
based resource that provides consumers with information on reuse and recycling opportunities for
used electronics. These opportunities include state and local collection programs, charitable
organizations, and recyclers that accept used electronics. The information can be sorted by state
and county, and also includes a section on national programs. EIA is a national trade organization
representing more than 80 percent of the electronics industry.
Earth 911 (www.earth911 .org) is non-profit organization that maintains a Web site with communi-
ty-specific information on reuse and recycling opportunities. These opportunities include state and
local collection programs, charitable organizations, and recyclers that accept used electronics.
The Web site is sorted by ZIP code and includes resources with information about electronics
recycling and the environment.
eBay's Rethink Initiative (rethink.ebay.com) offers a fresh perspective on the challenge of e-
waste, with information, tools and solutions that make it easy to sell, donate, or recycle used
computers and electronics.
The National Cristina Foundation (NCF) (www.cristina.org) accepts donations of used computer
equipment from individuals and corporations in all 50 states. In turn, NCF directs the equipment to
nonprofit organizations, schools, and public agencies that use the equipment for training, job
development, educational programs and other related projects to improve the lives of people with
disabilities, students at risk, and economically disadvantaged people.
Computers for Schools (www.pcsforschools.org) works to place refurbished computers into the
nation's schools and educational institutions.
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (www.recyclewirelessphones.org) and its
member organizations educate the public on the options available for properly recycling used
wireless devices and the efforts made within the industry to improve the recyclability of products.
The program promotes the collection of used wireless devices and lists members that collect
devices for recycling.
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) (www.rbrc.org) can help people
recycle portable rechargeable batteries. These batteries are commonly found in cordless power
tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote
control toys. RBRC recycles the following battery chemistries: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel
Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead (Pb).
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vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste MC 5305W
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA530-F-05-021
October 2005
www.epa.gov/osw
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