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It’s about that time to start thinking about spring cleaning. While you might be able to donate old clothes and furniture to a charity, there are many household items that you’ll need to trash. At Roll Off, we want to make sure you aren’t improperly disposing of waste that could harm the environment.
Even some household products that seem harmless can be toxic and dangerous. For the next few weeks leading up to spring, we will address how to properly dispose of household objects.
This week we’ll talk about electronics and batteries.
The Problems
If electronics are thrown into a landfill with normal trash, hazardous material can leach into the Earth. Plus, in many cases materials are burned, and plastics and metals that are burned can enter the atmosphere and disrupt the food chain.
Items like computer monitors and television sets may contain lead and metallic compounds that have harmful health affects on animals and humans. Many electronics made up of plastics contain harmful carcinogens that can damage human and animal reproductive systems.
The Solutions
States have different laws about disposing of e-waste; for example, Pennsylvania dumpster law states that you disposing of electronic waste in public landfills is illegal. This is a result of Pennsylvania’s Covered Device Recycling Act.
Stores, like Best Buy, offer recycling programs. In some cases you can exchange electronics for gift cards. Additionally, many office stores have bins for collecting recyclable batteries and electronics.
A location near you might have an e-waste recycling center. We have information on Philadelphia e-waste disposal, Norfolk e-waste disposal and Annapolis e-waste disposal.
For more information about electronic waste disposal, visit the Environmental Protection Agency.