If you do business in Colorado, then you probably already know that the e-waste ban that went into effect on July 1, 2013 is not entirely new. For years, it has not been legal for businesses to dispose of certain electronics in the landfill. The new law not only reaffirms the old regulations, but also extends the regulations to everybody: businesses, industry, and family households, alike.
Even so, the office space presents its own unique set of challenges:
* Not everyone may be aware of the e-waste regulations
* The volume of e-waste is going to be higher
* Proprietary information should be protected for the safety of the business
* There may be confusion about how to safely get rid of e-waste across departments
Here are a few tips to help keep your office green and in compliance with the e-waste law:
Send out a company-wide e-memo reminding everyone of the new law. Announce a collection point in your office for people to take old electronics.
Items that are illegal to dispose of in the landfill include: computers & computer monitors / televisions / printers / fax machines / DVD & VCR players / Peripherals such as keyboards & mice / radios & stereos / video game consoles / laptops, notebooks / Ultrabooks, netbooks & tablets.
Just because it may not be illegal to throw it in the landfill doesn’t mean you should throw it in the landfill. Cell phones, for example, can also be recycled. If you can plug it in you can recycle it.
Do you have sensitive information stored on there? Sensitive data can be safely recycled using certified data destruction methods. We can provide a full Certificate of Destruction from ERI (Electronic Recyclers International).
For pickups of more than 5 items, we work on a sliding scale to help customers save money.
If you have a large office, consider hosting an “Electronics Roundup”. This is a fantastic service an employer can offer employees and is simple to coordinate. Just call us and we’ll work out a day we can be there with a truck. It ends up being a fun community event, as well!
Remember: Those old electronic devices and batteries you’ve got have hazardous elements hidden inside, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, sliver, nickel-cadmium, lithium, or sealed lead acid. Once they break down in the landfill, they get in the groundwater and soil, poisoning plant life, animals…and us! Proper disposal is not just the law, but it’s good, common sense!
As always, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call and we’ll see what we can do to help YOUR office stay green!