In today's popular culture, electronics are all the rage: Everyone always wants that hot new iPod, the most advanced digital camera and the sleekest, most powerful laptop. These products, marketed directly to the college-aged demographic, sell off the shelves by the truck-full.
As young adults buy these products, however, what often escapes their mind is what they will do with the old iPod, camera or laptop lying on their desk at home. Give it away? Let it collect dust in the closet?
Often the only option is to throw the old electronic device away - creating technological waste that may pose a threat to the environment.
But with a fairly new concept called "e-cycling," the recycling of hazardous electronic goods such as computers, mp3 players and cameras has gained popularity, with legislation now active in nine states promoting - and in some cases requiring - the practice.
Different states, and even different cities, go about e-cycling in different ways, according to Tufts environmental science lecturer Ann Rappaport.
"Many towns in Massachusetts have collection systems to keep e-waste out of their disposal systems," Rappaport said. Other towns require people to bring their electronic waste to special centers, where they will have to pay anywhere from $6 to $10 to dispose of each item.
There are other ways to ensure that old electronics are not simply thrown away. According to Pew Research Center, 2007 was a "banner year" for passage of electronic cycling laws, with Connecticut, Oregon, Texas, North Carolina and Minnesota all passing legislation. Minnesota's law was particularly stringent, requiring manufacturers to recycle 60 percent of the volume of their product sales in the state. Laws of that nature, which put responsibility for recycling on manufacturers, are called "take-back" laws.
While Massachusetts does not have any take-back laws in place, computers and televisions have been banned from landfills due to legislation passed in 2000.
But though individual states are slowly taking on the task of promoting e-cycling, Rappaport said the most effective e-cycling regulations would come from the federal government.
"Federal legislation is a better solution than the state-by-state patchwork that is currently emerging," she said.
"If federal legislation is crafted properly, it will create incentives for electronics companies to redesign their products with recycling in mind. ... If electronics are designed with a goal of 100 percent recycling, it should be possible to recycle all, or all but a very small percentage of each piece of equipment," Rappaport said.
There are, of course, individual cities and organizations taking responsibility for recycling old electronics. Medford has provisions for curbside recycling of televisions and computers - both for a $20 pickup fee - but not other electronics items. Somerville has a drop-off recycling center that allows residents to dispose of computer monitors and televisions for $10 per item.
On the Hill, Tufts has been trying to minimize its electronic impact on the environment as well.
Dawn Quirk, the recycling coordinator for Tufts Recycles, said in an e-mail to the Daily that the university recycles Tufts-owned computers with Veolia Environmental, a "very responsible company" that converts the waste into usable products and disposes of the hazardous materials with eco-friendly methods.
The service is not offered to students, however.
"Unfortunately, we cannot recycle student computers," Quirk said.
But according to Rappaport, there are other ways that students can minimize their electronic waste. By buying fewer electronic products and sustaining the life of those that they already have, students and young adults can prevent some excess e-waste.
"Students can be responsible users of electronics by extending the life of their electronics and limiting their purchases to only those they really need," she said. "[For example,] does the newest iPod increase the quality of life more than the old one?"
She also said students can influence the broader issue of electronic waste through responsible consumer choices.
"It is also important to support corporations who are making substantial investments in sustainability and to boycott those who don't," Rappaport said.
Nationally, environmental groups and campaigns have been working to promote e-cycling as well. Greenpeace, for example, started its "Green Ranking" campaign to inform consumers about the companies that are most responsible with the e-waste generated from their products. According to the most recent version of the ranking, published in September, popular manufacturers such as Nokia, Dell and Sony Ericsson are among the most environmentally friendly electronics manufacturers worldwide.
But while some popular electronic products may be produced safely, environmentally conscious students may not want to crank up their iPods just yet: The Greenpeace ranking listed Apple, Inc. as tied in second-to-last place, and attributed this low rating to alleged toxic chemicals inside the products, short lifespan and company policies that allow electronic waste to be discarded in Asia.
Panasonic came in last place, and Hewlett-Packard was tied with Apple for second-to-last place.
Rappaport said that by pressuring companies to become green, consumers - especially students - can help to reduce the amount of electronic waste discarded every year.
"This [new method of manufacturing] will require a totally new approach, but unless manufacturers take life cycle responsibility for their products, we can't hope to achieve sustainability," Rappaport said.
