A new state law changes how you can discard certain electronic devices. Starting next Monday, you can no longer put your TV or computer on the sidewalk for the waste hauler to take away.
The law is called the Covered Device Recycling Act. This provision was included to ensure the safe disposal of heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury.
"The act covers TVs, desktop and laptop computers, monitors and any kind of computer equipment like a mouse, hard drive, your speakers, your printer,” explained Ellen O’Connor with York County Solid Waste Authority.
Those are the items waste haulers are no longer allowed to pick up and take to an incinerator or landfill. York County has one day a month it accepts these electronics.
At least eight other municipalities in the county have locations and dates for monthly drop offs. Of course many of the large box retailers will accept and recycle, like h.h. gregg and Best Buy
"In an effort, Best Buy, to not have people throwing these things in waste dumps and things like that, we do free recycling of all types of electronics, not just TVs actually,” explained Brad Eisenhauer of Best Buy.
But what is it that makes these items potentially harmful to the environment?
"A lot of these electronics have heavy metals in them. A cathode ray tube you find in old style TVs and old monitors, these can hold anywhere from four to eight pounds of lead,” O’Connor explained. “We want to recycle that material rather than have it get in the soil and groundwater."
A proponent said the law was also designed to spur jobs in the recycling industry.
The law is called the Covered Device Recycling Act. This provision was included to ensure the safe disposal of heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury.
"The act covers TVs, desktop and laptop computers, monitors and any kind of computer equipment like a mouse, hard drive, your speakers, your printer,” explained Ellen O’Connor with York County Solid Waste Authority.
Those are the items waste haulers are no longer allowed to pick up and take to an incinerator or landfill. York County has one day a month it accepts these electronics.
At least eight other municipalities in the county have locations and dates for monthly drop offs. Of course many of the large box retailers will accept and recycle, like h.h. gregg and Best Buy
"In an effort, Best Buy, to not have people throwing these things in waste dumps and things like that, we do free recycling of all types of electronics, not just TVs actually,” explained Brad Eisenhauer of Best Buy.
But what is it that makes these items potentially harmful to the environment?
"A lot of these electronics have heavy metals in them. A cathode ray tube you find in old style TVs and old monitors, these can hold anywhere from four to eight pounds of lead,” O’Connor explained. “We want to recycle that material rather than have it get in the soil and groundwater."
A proponent said the law was also designed to spur jobs in the recycling industry.