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WITH U.S. EPA
2007 Activities
Plug-In To eCycling Program
http://www.epa.gov/plugin/
2007 Plug-In Partner Accomplishments
Plug-In To eCycling is a partnership between EPA
and 24 electronic manufacturers and retailers to offer
consumers more opportunities to donate or recycle
their used electronics.
Plug-In To eCycling pilots innovative on-the-ground
solutions that can be expanded to sustainable local,
regional, and national collection recycling programs.
The program's initiatives are intended to reflect
shared responsibility amongst manufacturers,
retailers, governments and consumers, and illustrate
how voluntary industry-led models can complement
existing government collection and recycling efforts.
In 2007, partners recycled or reused over 47 million
pounds of electronics from consumers—mostly
computers, televisions, and cell phones—via
their voluntary collaborative efforts or through
new partnership programs.1 Conservatively, the
greenhouse gas savings from recycling these
electronics is equivalent to removing nearly 32,000
cars off U.S. roads each year. Since the Plug-
In program's inception in 2003, partners have
recycled over 142 million pounds of electronics via
collaborative and voluntary efforts.
Welcome to our NEW
Plug-In To eCycling 2007 Partners
LG Electronics
Motorola
Nokia
Sony Ericcson
Sprint
T-Mobile
Wal-Mart
Our partners achieved the following voluntary
accomplishments in 2007:
AT&T refurbished and recycled almost 3.9 million
phones and recycled over 911,000 pounds of
accessories and batteries.
"At AT&T, we strive to be good stewards of the
environment in the communities we serve.
That's why we're proud to partner with the
EPA's Plug-In To eCycling Cell Phone Recycling
Awareness Campaign."
-Wayne Alba, Environment, Health and Safety
Specialist, AT&T
Best Buy collected more than 111,000 consumer
electronics—16.8 million pounds—through its
services and haul-away programs for recycling or
refurbishment. Best Buy also maintains a permanent
recycling kiosk in over 900 Best Buy stores across
the U.S. to collect wireless devices, compact discs,
ink cartridges and rechargeable batteries. To date
these kiosks have collected over 83,000 pounds of
materials for recycling. This past year, Best Buy also
sponsored collection events, collecting 3.45 million
pounds of computers and televisions from over
38,000 participants. In addition, Best Buy initiated
a formal grant program, helping to fund nearly 90
electronics recycling events in 26 states. In 2007,
Best Buy's programs collectively recycled over
96 million pounds of electronics and appliances, a
volume increase of 35% over 2006.
Dell offers consumers free online recycling for used
Dell products and expanded its Reconnect partnership
with Goodwill to include the state of New Jersey
and the city of Philadelphia. The Reconnect program
gives consumers the opportunity to drop off used
electronics for reuse and recycling in communities in
North Carolina, the state of Michigan, San Diego,
1 Some companies, as listed, recycled millions of pounds more through their global and business-oriented recycling programs.
©ERA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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San Francisco, Austin, Houston, and Pittsburgh.
Dell's long-term goal is to expand the Reconnect
program nationally. Dell also hosted collection events
in Seattle and Austin, collecting over 660,000 pounds
of electronics from over 2,700 participants. Last year
Dell recycled 78 million pounds of electronics through
all of its recycling programs.
"Today's generation of environmental leaders
understands the value of partnerships in
achieving our common goals. Every electronics
manufacturer, regardless of size or location,
can join its customers and members of the
ReGeneration—people of all ages who care
about the environment—by offering a free,
global consumer recycling program. Our shared
earth deserves no less."
-Tod Arbogast, Director of Sustainable Business,
Dell Inc.
HP recycled over 245 million pounds of hardware
and supplies globally and reused over 32 million
pounds. HP teamed up with Wal-Mart to host 12
collection events across the U.S., collecting over
269,000 pounds of electronics for recycling from
consumers.
Intel supported seven collection events that
collected 2 million pounds of electronics.
LG Electronics LG Electronics recently launched its
online cell phone recycling program, where consumers
can download a label and mail in their phones. Since
the programs inception, LG has collected some 370
cell phones from this mail-in take back program.
NEC Display Solutions recycled over 169,000
pounds of electronics through its recycling and
trade-in program.
Nokia collected over 45,000 cell phones from its
Bag In A Box program, where consumers mail in
their used phones, batteries and accessories using
pre-paid envelopes included in new Nokia sales
packages. Nokia also recycled 3,000 phones from
consumers that downloaded free shipping labels
from its website. In October 2007, Nokia challenged
New York City to recycle 100,000 phones by
November 15, America Recycles Day,2 and launched
a nationwide toll free number which consumers
could call for a pre-paid recycle bag to be mailed to
their home. The company also hosted community
collection events for Earth Day and America
Recycles Day that recycled over 115,000 pounds
of electronics. Finally, Nokia recycled over 750,000
pounds of e-waste at its various facilities, much of it
collected through employee participation programs.
Office Depot launched its Tech Recycling program in
all Office Depot retail locations in October 2007. For
a small fee consumers can purchase boxes to recycle
their used computers, small televisions, peripherals,
and other consumer electronics. Office Depot then
sends the boxes on behalf of the consumer for
recycling. The program captured over 77,000 pounds
of electronics from the regional pilot phase and in the
first two months of the nationwide rollout.
"Office Depot is proud to partner with the EPA on
a variety of environmental programs including
Plug-In To eCycling. We recognize that as a
leading global retailer we have the opportunity
to provide our customers convenient solutions
for their recycling needs, including cell phones
and other electronics."
-Robert Dunlap, Senior Merchant of Services,
Office Depot
Panasonic helped support 92 local collection events
that recycled more than 2.5 million pounds of
electronics.
Samsung participates in the RBRC program that
recycles cellular phone and portable rechargeable
batteries. Through this program, it recycled 100,000
Metrics not yet available at the time of this publication.
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pounds of its share of both products combined.
Samsung has participated in local electronics
collection events, collecting over 400,000 pounds
of electronics and is currently finalizing a full scale
national collection program for cell phones.
Sharp supported over 100 events that collected and
recycled 2.25 million pounds of electronic products.
Sony launched its partnership with Waste
Management to offer consumers opportunities
to recycle their used electronics at permanent
collection points across the country. Through this
program over 15,000,000 pounds of electronics
were recycled. Thus far, the program's footprint
provides collection opportunities through its initial
network of 75 collection points in 18 states. Sony
aims to expand the program to all 50 states by late
2008. In addition, Sony offers consumers a trade-in
program online and through its Sony Style stores.
Sony Ericsson initiated its cell phone recycling
program in November 2007 by sponsoring a
takeback event in the City of Oaks, North Carolina
that recycled over 6,000 pounds, collecting over
15,000 phones. Sony Ericsson will continue to
sponsor collection events in 2008.
Sprint recycled 3 million cell phones and accessories
through its in-store and online recycling programs.
"We're proud to partner with the EPA to help further
raise awareness of the need to properly recycle
wireless handsets and equipment, and through
programs like Sprint Project Connect, to provide
recycling channels—complete with postage-paid
envelopes and an online mailing label—to make it
quick and convenient for consumers to use."
-Debby Ba/lard, Director of Community Relations,
Sprint
Staples launched its nationwide retail takeback
program in May 2007 in its 1,400 stores across the
U.S. Consumers can bring any brand of computer
monitors, desktop and laptop computers, printers,
scanners, all-in-ones and fax machines to the
customer service desk for a $10 recycling fee. Small
peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, modems
and computer speakers, are accepted for free
when recycling a larger item. Since launching the
program, Staples has collected 1.7 million pounds of
unwanted electronics.
"The disposal of e-waste continues to be a major
environmental challenge in this country. We
know that many businesses and consumers
want eco-friendly options, so we're helping
them move from thinking about it to taking
some action."
-Mark Buckley, Vice President of
Environmental Affairs, Staples, Inc.
Toshiba helped recycle over 1.4 million pounds of
electronics through supporting local collection events
and via its online PC takeback and trade-in program.
Wal-Mart helped sponsor 12 collection events
across the U.S. with HP, collecting over 269,000
pounds of electronics for recycling.
"In an effort to move our company toward
its goals to create zero waste and to sell
environmentally friendly products, we have
hosted a number of e-waste recycling events
at Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Clubs across
the country. By hosting these events, we
aim to increase our customers' awareness
of eRecycling and to provide them with
a convenient solution to recycle their old
electronic items."
-Seong Ohm, Senior Vice President of
Merchandising, Office and Technology, Wal-Mart
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ReCYCLE/f'£*" I,
YOUR CELL PHONE Q/ COOy UCll
Plug-In To eCycling has teamed up with leading
cell phone makers, service providers and retailers
to encourage Americans to recycle or donate
unwanted cell phones.
WHY?
Despite the large number of manufacturer and
retailer-led collection programs, most consumers
still do not know where or how they can recycle
their cell phones.
Each year between 100-150 million cell phones are
taken out of service. Cell phones are replaced every
18 months on average.
Fewer than 20 percent of unwanted cell phones
are recycled each year—most people store them at
home, in a drawer somewhere.
Reusing cell phones through donations or recycling
cell phones by recovering their valuable materials
reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves energy,
and conserves resources—mostly by reducing the
amount of precious metals and copper that are
mined for the manufacture of new phones.
Promoting reuse and recycling of cell phones can be
a start to changing the way consumers interact with
other electronic products. In the case of electronics,
consumers are reluctant to throw away products
that were expensive to purchase. Through the
Plug-In program, EPA is trying to give consumers
options to "do the right thing" by fostering
convenient product recycling programs and
encouraging people to use them.
To hrarn more, go lo
www.epo.gov/cflltphimes
Building a state program
Consumers living close to urban and heavily
populated regions in the U.S. often have more
access to local eCycling opportunities than
those living in rural areas. High transportation
costs due to a lack of nearby electronics
recycling infrastructure can impede ongoing
eCycling programs from taking root in rural
communities. In 2006, Montana's Department
of Environmental Quality (DEQ), a state Plug-In
To eCycling partner, worked with the program's
industry partners to pilot its Rural Electronic
Waste Recycling Program across the state,
collecting more than 330,000 pounds of
electronics from residents. In 2007, Montana's
DEQ continued its efforts to foster more
eCycling opportunities for households and
recycled nearly 400,000 pounds.
Cell Phone Takeback In-Store Locations
AT&T
Best Buy
Nokia
Office Depot
Sprint
Staples
T-Mobile
Online Mailback/Envelope Programs
LG Electronics Sprint
Motorola T-Mobile
Nokia
Samsung (details on takeback program forthcoming)
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