Bob Dreizler's Resources: Recycle Your Old Batteries and E-Waste - Help Save the Planet, One Cell at a Time
Each year in California, more than 350 million household batteries are dumped in the trash and sent to landfills. That's a lot of waste! As of February 1, 2006, you will no longer be allowed to dispose of your household batteries in your garbage. Due to the toxic pollution problems that batteries cause, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control has banned household batteries from disposal in landfills, and will treat the batteries as hazardous waste due to the toxic chemicals used in various types of common household batteries. So, this begs the question: What do we DO with these batteries now?
Californians Against Waste believes that the answer to this question is that stores that sell toxic batteries should be required to take the batteries back for recycling. It seems logical enough. Assembly Bill (AB) 1125 was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on October 6, 2005. On or before July 1, 2006, retailers who sell rechargeable batteries must have in place a system for the acceptance and collection of used rechargeable batteries for reuse, recycling or proper disposal, at no cost to the consumer.
Until other retailers take on their share, you have a few options. At this point in time, you can take your household batteries for recycling (no charge) to Radio Shack stores, Staples stores, and the Sacramento Recycling Stations, North [(916) 379-0500] and South [(916) 875-5555].
Another recycling challenge is e-waste - electronic products nearly the end of their "useful life." Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals, that can be recovered for recycling. Recycling your waste electronics saves resources because new metals don't have to be mined. In addition, some electronic products contain high enough levels of certain materials, such as lead, that render them hazardous when disposed. California law designates waste televisions and monitors as hazardous, and hazardous waste cannot be disposed of with municipal trash.
Unfortunately, electronic discards is one of the fastest growing segments of our nation's waste stream. Additionally, some researchers estimate that nearly 75 percent of old electronics are in storage, in part because of the uncertainty of how to manage the materials. In case you are one of the many "reluctant storers", you now have some choices on where to recycle them, without charge. Here are some Sacramento-area e-waste recyclers:
Computers, computer monitors, printers and televisions:
- Appliance Distribution (Mon-Sat 8-4)
- 915 North B Street
- Sacramento
- (916) 497-0274
- Yolo County Central Landfill (Mon-Sat 6:30-4; Sun. 9-5)
- 44090 County Road 28H
- Woodland
- (530) 666-8729
- SMARTKIDS-Kinney High School (Mon-Fri 10:30-2)
- (monitors & computers only)
- 2710 Kilgore Road
- Rancho Cordova
- (916) 635-1292 (ext. 8)
California's "one-stop shop" for information on how to manage unwanted electronics, and a useful website to find facilities outside Sacramento that collect specific types of electronic equipment for reuse or recycling is: erecycle.org You just choose your County and pick what item you want to recycle. Check with the business before you goÑthe information may have changed.
Another useful resource website is Earth911.org The mission of Earth 911 is "to empower the public with community-specific resources to improve their quality of life." Through a toll-free call to 1-800-CLEANUP or the use of the website, you can narrow down what recycling resources are available in your area, at no cost. Simply enter your ZIP code, and the website or the hotline will guide you to information about:
- Recycling Centers
- Green Shopping
- Energy Conservation
- Household Hazardous Waste
- Kids/Environmental Education
- Composting
- and dozens of other resources
Earth911.org is a public and private sector partnership using guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several other federal, state and local agencies. Its pro-active response is a fresh approach compared to the normal "fix it after it's broken" response from our government.
Let's all help make every day Earth Day by Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling!