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Electronics Challenge Resources

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National Directories and Databases

International Association of Electronics Recyclers (IAER) Exit EPA
The IAER represents and serves the interests of the electronics recycling industry in the development of effective and efficient infrastructure for managing the life cycles of electronic products. The Web site contains an extensive list of private sector electronics recyclers, as well as information about the April 2001 and May 2000 Electronics and the Environment Summits.

Computers for Learning Exit EPA
This Web site allows schools and educational nonprofit organizations to register to request surplus federal computer equipment. Federal agencies use the Web site to donate computers to schools and educational nonprofit organizations based upon indications of need.

Consumer Education Initiative Exit EPA
The Electronic Industries Alliance's Consumer Education Initiative lists, by state, a variety of options, including donation sites at schools and charities, as well as industry and government-run collection, reuse, and recycling programs. In addition, the Web site contains pertinent facts and background on used electronics, helpful links, and information on other industry-led efforts to reduce the impacts of electronics on the environment.

ElectronicsRecycling.Net Database Exit EPA
Developed by the Electronics Industries Alliance with support from EPA's EPR program, this database contains information on recyclers, nonprofit organizations, and others involved in the reuse and recycling of electronic products.

National Cristina Foundation Exit EPA
This organization brings donated computers to the disabled, economically disadvantaged, and students at risk. The Web site contains donation instructions and answers to tax benefit questions.

National Recycling Coalition's Consumer Where to Recycle Exit EPA
This section of the National Recycling Coalition's Web site lists consumer resources for recycling.

National Safety Council's Electronic Product Recovery & Recycling (EPR2) Directory Exit EPA
This Web site contains a database of electronics recycling and donation organizations, listed by state.

Recycler's World Exit EPA
This Web site lists computer and telecommunications equipment recyclers and refurbishers, and hosts a worldwide electronics materials exchange.

Share the Technology Exit EPA
This nonprofit corporation's national database lists computer donation offers and requests from all over the United States and from other countries.

TechSoup.org Exit EPA
This computer support site for nonprofits provides a list of electronics recycling and reuse organizations nationwide and in California.

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General Web Sites

Carnegie Mellon Green Design Initiative Exit EPA
This Web site provides a comprehensive international resource list for information about end-of-life options for electronic products. It includes links for computer, software, component, and diskette recycling; federal, state, and local recycling/donation programs; electronics manufacturers' programs; dealers of used and refurbished equipment; school and charity donation coordinators; and academic and research institutions.

Electronics Industries Alliance (EIA) Exit EPA
The EIA represents the government relations interests of the diversified electronics industry. EIA's Environmental Issues Council maintains an extensive database of resources related to environmental issues affecting the electronics industry, and a summary of international and domestic recycling initiatives.

ElectronicsRecycling.net Exit EPA
A collaborative effort between the recycling community, the plastics industry, and academia, this site offers a variety of resources on the electronics recycling industry. The site includes an industry overview, a list of notable projects, an industry directory organized by state, a section on legislation, and links to industry-related news articles and press releases.

ElectronicXchange.org Exit EPA
This site is a clearinghouse and repository for business and government agencies looking for information regarding electronic equipment recycling and recovery, the availability and demand for electronic scrap, recycled products, current regulations/legislation, alternative and emerging technologies, technical reports, and waste management products and services. The site also contains links to a number of Solid Waste Information eXchange publications, including Used TV and Computer Recycling and Management in Florida: A Resource Guide (PDF) (18 pp, 1.9MB) Exit EPA.

EPA's Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) Page
This site is dedicated to EPR, a product-oriented approach to sustainable development. The electronics section provides current information regarding public and private sector initiatives to promote electronic products EPR, including multi-stake, federal, state/local, industry, and international initiatives.

National Safety Coalition's Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling (EPR2) Project Exit EPA
This section of the EPR2 Project Web site includes EPR2 conference summaries and an order form for the EPR2 Baseline Report: Recovery of Selected Electronics Products in the U.S., which provides results of the first large-scale survey and analysis of end-of-life electronics recycling and reuse.

The Wireless Foundation Exit EPA
This organization collects and distributes cellular phones for neighborhood crime prevention, domestic safety, and education programs.

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Online Publications

Analysis of EPR Policies and Legislation through Comparative Study of Selected EPR Programmes for EEE—Based on the In-depth Study of a Japanese EPR Regulation (PDF) (118 pp, 730K) Exit EPA
September 1999; IIIEE Communications
Written as a Master's thesis, this publication analyzes Japan's EPR regulation for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and compares it to four European EEE regulations (Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and the European Union). The author concludes that Japan's regulation (the Specified Home Appliance Recycling Law, enacted in 1998) has had a positive effect on Japanese manufacturers, and goes on to describe actions they have taken in response to the legislation: conducting recycling pilot projects, incorporating DfE into product design, and developing the infrastructure for product takeback and recycling.

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Glass-to-Glass Recycling Fact Sheet (PDF) (4 pp, 136K)
September 2001; Materials for the Future Foundation (MFF)
This fact sheet provides an overview of the CRT glass to CRT glass recycling process. It includes information on CRT constituent materials, recycling economics, shipping requirements, and end markets. It also lists several glass-to-glass recyclers in the United States.

The Clean Computer Campaign: 2000 Clean Computer Report Card Exit EPA
The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
The Clean Computer Campaign, a project of the SVTC, evaluated the environmental information contained on the Web sites of 44 of the largest high-tech companies in the world. The resulting report evaluates eight key indicators in an effort to answer the following question: are high-tech companies providing consumers with enough information to make informed decisions about buying "green" electronic products?

Delaware Citizens Computer Recycling Pilot Project Report (PDF) (23 pp, 85K)
January 2001; Center for Solid Waste Research
This report examines the logistics, costs, results, and challenges of the computer collection event sponsored by the Delaware Economic Development Office, COMPUSA-Wilmington, and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority on October 21, 2000. The project sponsors collected approximately 13,000 pounds of old computer equipment, which was processed by Goodwill Industries of Delaware. The project was funded by U.S. EPA Region 3.

A Design Guide for Information and Technology Equipment Exit EPA
1999; American Plastics Council
This guide provides a synopsis of basic environmental design considerations applicable to computers and and other information technology equipment.

Disposition and End-of-Life Options for Personal Computers (PDF) (18 pp, 40K) Exit EPA
Carnegie Mellon University
This study provides an in-depth look at management and treatment of obsolete PCs. The study compares current statistics with the results of a 1991 study that predicted that nearly 150 million PCs would be sent to landfills by 2005. New estimates, stemming from the emergence of a growing electronics recycling industry, predict that by 2005 only 55 million PCs will be landfilled, while 150 million will be recycled. The Carnegie Mellon report provides updated models for its analysis, implications of product takeback, and an overview of industrial progress since the 1991 report.

Electronic Forum on Lead-Free Advances in Electronics. Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits
The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC) has launched a new list server on lead-free electronics assemblies for members of the electronics assembly and printed wiring board industries. This forum is a good resource for European legislative updates, lead-free technology developments, issues surrounding lead-free alternatives, and more related to reducing lead in electronics products. For information on the IPC lead-free alternative e-mail forum contact Chris Jorgensen at (847) 790-5328, or email jorgch@ipc.org.

Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling Baseline Report: Recycling of Selected Electronic Products in the United States Exit EPA
May 1999; National Safety Council, Environmental Health Center
This study presents the results of the first comprehensive survey and analysis of end-of-life electronic product recycling and reuse in the United States. The survey gives actual data for 1997 and 1998 and gives sales, obsolescence, and recycling forecasts for the future.

Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling (PDF) (4 pp, 987K)
U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
June 2001; EPA-530-F-01-006
Prepared by U.S. EPA's Product Stewardship Program (EPR), this fact sheet offers information on reducing electronic waste through activities such as reusing, donating, or recycling used electronics. The publication also provides information on purchasing environmentally responsible electronics.

End-of-Life Computer and Electronics Recovery Policy Options for the Mid-Atlantic States Exit EPA
March 2000; Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials
Because computers are constantly being replaced by new and better computers, electronics disposal is becoming a major issue. This report discusses electronics recovery options and models, plus markets and economic development. It identifies key issues to consider for policy development and makes recommendations for further investigation.

Just Say No to E-Waste Exit EPA

The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Exit EPA
The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), a California-based environmental group, believes that product manufacturers should be required to take back outdated electronic equipment to reduce toxic waste. In Just Say No to E-Waste, the group advocates a method of managing unwanted computer equipment, or “e-waste,” similar to the method used by the European Union. Europe’s Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive bans the use of certain toxic chemicals and requires greater producer responsibility.

Leasing: A Step Toward Producer Responsibility Exit EPA
This report examines the practice of leasing products, rather than selling them, as a strategy for increasing resource productivity, particularly by preventing waste generation and encouraging a closed-loop pattern of materials use through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. The report explores the ways in which leasing and servicing (selling the function of a product rather than the product itself) can affect product ownership, management at end of life, and product design for a variety of companies and products. Includes case studies on office equipment, carpeting, cleaning equipment, and personal computers.

Overview of U.S. Electronics Stewardship Initiatives (PDF) (23 pp, 197K) Exit EPA
February 2001; National Electronics Stewardship Workshop
Prepared for the National Electronics Stewardship Workshop in February 2001, this background paper provides an overview of current federal procurement programs and initiatives to manage its end-of-life electronics equipment. It also reviews federal policies and programs designed to influence federal disposition practices as well as those of industry, state and local governments, and consumers. In addition, the paper highlights electronics stewardship efforts of nonprofit organizations, state governments, and industry.

Plastics from Residential Electronics Recycling Exit EPA
April 2000; American Plastics Council
This report discusses the types of electronic products present in the municipal waste stream, the plastic resins contained in these products, and types and amounts of plastics found in existing consumer electronics collection programs. The document also provides case studies on collection systems and information on the various types of plastics used in electronics manufacturing.

Plug into Electronics Reuse Exit EPA
1997; Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR)
This report provides contact information on 150 computer recovery facilities as well as in-depth profiles of the operating experiences of 13 facilities that focus on computer reuse. Operations profiled are all replicable, and many are interested in starting similar enterprises in other cities. $15.

Residential Collection of Household End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Equipment Pilot Collection Project
EPA-901-R-98-002
This report features results from two EPA-sponsored residential collection pilot programs held in 1996 and 1997 in Binghamton, New York, and Somerville, Massachusetts.

University of Massachusetts Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic Development Technical Reports: Exit EPA
$10 each.

WasteWise Update: Electronics Reuse and Recycling (PDF) (16 pp, 1.4MB)
October 2000; EPA-530-N-00-007
This WasteWise Update discusses the electronics waste stream and the benefits of electronics reuse and recycling. The Update provides information on donating or recycling electronics, reducing electronics waste by changing purchasing practices, and managing used electronics. It also highlights electronics waste reduction opportunities specific to manufacturers and governments.

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Journal Articles

The following is a list of articles discussing electronics recycling and reuse. Call the WasteWise Helpline at (800) 372-9473 for information on obtaining a reprint of the article.

"Demanufacturing: The emergence of an urban industry."
February 2000; Resource Recycling
As technology advances, many computers once considered top-of-the-line are now technological relics. To electronics demanufacturers, however, piles of obsolete computers can turn into virtual gold mines. Each computer contains valuable components such as gold, silver, and copper that can be salvaged and recycled. This article discusses the challenges that demanufacturers face and offers projections for this industry's future expansion.

"How Do You Junk Your Computer?"
February 2001; Time Magazine
This article explores the process of recovering resources from end-of-life electronics. Topics include a list of valuable materials, recycling, and generation statistics, and the steps for demanufacturing used computers.

"Reach out and touch someone: Cellular telephone refurbishers foresee expanding global market."
October 18, 1999; Waste News
Two Michigan-based companies, ReCellular and Telesource, found a profitable niche market in refurbishing cellular telephones. Industrywide, an estimated $500 million worth of cell phones will be refurbished and resold this year—more than twice the amount 5 years ago. This article discusses how the market for refurbished cellular phones works.

"Making electronic recycling connections."
September 1999; Recycling Today
Of the estimated 14 to 20 million computers that become outdated each year, only 30 percent are resold. The remaining 70 percent are usually thrown away if they are not recycled. This article answers the following questions: what are the benefits of recycling computers; what are some of the best electronics recycling methods; how can computer recycling become profitable; what are the dangers in recovering materials; and where is electronics recycling headed?

"Electronic product discards."
June 1999; Resource Recycling
This article highlights public and private programs that promote electronics reuse and recycling. Topics include a "Computers for Learning" program, electronic product reuse organizations and collections, and how manufacturers handle electronic product discards. The article also includes a list of Internet resources on the topic.

"The conundrum of computer recycling."
May 1999; Resource Recycling
This article discusses personal computer (PC) disposal and the effect of increased PC use and rapid technological advances on computer recycling. It also describes processing methods for used computers, regulatory issues surrounding PC disposal, local and state government activities, and strategies for reducing the number of discarded PCs in the waste stream.

"Environmental, Recycling, and End of Life Issues in the Electronics Industry"
Volume 9, Issue 1, 1999; Journal of Electronics Manufacturing
This special issue of the Journal of Electronics Manufacturing presents seven technical papers on end-of-life issues pertaining to the electronics industry. Featured papers include an economic analysis of computer takeback and recycling, an analysis of design efficiency for the disassembly of modular electronic products, and an article on multi-lifecycle product recovery.

"The leasing option."
May 1998; Governing
This article highlights how leasing office equipment and computers is becoming a popular choice for governmental organizations. Because computers quickly become outdated, it is more cost-effective to replace the technology by renewing a lease rather than purchasing new equipment. Another benefit of leasing is the warranty support and services that are included.

"Electronics recycling collection: Targeting the commercial sector."
December 1998; Resource Recycling
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management conducted a study to determine the feasibility of recyclable electronics collection among commercial enterprises. The study highlights collection options and strategies for improving collection efficiency and effectiveness among various commercial sectors. Recyclable electronics collectors can use the study to maximize efficiency among different sectors.

"What to do when computers pile up."
November 1998; Recycling Times
Many organizations accept old computers and fix them for reuse. This article highlights what some organizations are doing with used computers and includes a list of nationwide organizations throughout the United States that accept old equipment.

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