17 Dec
2011
17 Dec
'11
8:23 p.m.
At 03:10 PM 12/17/2011, Toby Thain wrote:
But how do we direct e-waste (for example) into the
hands of people who are picking it apart for non-renewables, rather than it ending up in
landfill by default? That's the unsolved part.
Some countries and states have enacted laws to require it. In Japan, for
example, you pre-pay a recycling fee when you buy an appliance, and retailers
and manufacturers are required to accept used appliances. In my state,
Wisconsin, you can't put e-waste in the trash any longer. It has to go to
a special e-waste collection site. My waste management company doesn't
seem to care if I put a bare metal PC case in the trash. If it showed any
wires or circuit boards, I don't think they'd take it.
About 60-70% of our household waste by volume goes into
a recycling pickup. I don't know what happens to it after that, but I am betting that
this percentage is higher than most of North America. At work, we have an e-waste pickup.
Unfortunately 90% (or more, I guess) of what is dumped there is still serviceable (a whole
other topic).
I don't think this topic is too far afield from classic computer collecting.
What if a government begins to charge a fee to dispose of old computers,
for example? Any hoarder / collector with a pre-existing pile of dozens
of computers has a significant liability on their hands. Of course, who
would ever get rid of their classic beauties?
What would happen if a government instituted a bounty on old computers,
so the pile suddenly has more value as recyclables than as classic computers?
The price of gold may have already done that.
There are many people in the USA who regard any recycling as a direct
affront on their way of life and who deeply resent any requirements
to sort their waste.
- John