Recycle your computer junk
May 31, 2007 11:27 AM Subscribe
Recycle your computer junk. A large US office supply retailer just became the first to offer everyday, in-store recycling for computers & other office technology, and will recycle them using EPA guidelines. Only $10 an item (smaller stuff like mice and keyboards are free).
What about the data on the HD? Do they DeGauss?
posted by Debaser626 at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2007
posted by Debaser626 at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2007
That's interesting. I live in Minnesota where normally, it costs more than $10 to dispose of a monitors and various electronics under new laws requiring proper disposal. There are also marked days during the year to get rid of such items for greatly reduced prices and once in a while, for free.
What about the data on the HD? Do they DeGauss?
At the local recycling plants, no. I would highly doubt Staples will either.
posted by jmd82 at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2007
What about the data on the HD? Do they DeGauss?
At the local recycling plants, no. I would highly doubt Staples will either.
posted by jmd82 at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2007
Pepsi Green.
posted by birdherder at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2007
posted by birdherder at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2007
"You charge $10 to recycle a computer? That's fair, I suppose. But just recycling a hard drive is free, right? Great. And recycling this motherboard is also free, right? Great. How about this DVD-ROM drive? And this power supply? And this other hard drive? No charge, right? Thanks!"
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
It's Staples, in case anyone was still left in suspense by the FPP.
posted by smackfu at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by smackfu at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2007
"You charge $10 to recycle a computer?"
What then is the point -- or the incentive? If they're charging people to take their crap, there's no incentive for people to dispose of such things properly. They'll sooner donate their used crap to some underfunded local public school or toss the stuff in the dumpster behind the shopping mall.
Give people $10 an item and they might start to see some action...
posted by vhsiv at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2007
What then is the point -- or the incentive? If they're charging people to take their crap, there's no incentive for people to dispose of such things properly. They'll sooner donate their used crap to some underfunded local public school or toss the stuff in the dumpster behind the shopping mall.
Give people $10 an item and they might start to see some action...
posted by vhsiv at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2007
So let me get this straight. They charge me $10 to recycle my computer which pays for an hour of labor to strip the thing down and test the components, and then you sell the parts to some third world country for fun and profit? Sounds like a great deal to me. If I send you 9 computers to recycle, is the 10th one free? Oh please oh please
posted by fusinski at 12:13 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by fusinski at 12:13 PM on May 31, 2007
What happens when people start leaving stuff at the door of the shop in the middle of the night?
posted by grouse at 12:15 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 12:15 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
Well, I think the problem isn't getting rid of working computers. It's the busted monitor or component made out of a bunch of nasty stuff that shouldn't go into a landfill. My local waste collector will not pick up any trash that they see has a computer component in it because of the laws. You instead need to go to one of the (few) e-waste places in town, which charge as well.
If the component works, by all means, just go donate it to someplace that can use it.
posted by klaruz at 12:23 PM on May 31, 2007
If the component works, by all means, just go donate it to someplace that can use it.
posted by klaruz at 12:23 PM on May 31, 2007
fusinski, that $10 likely goes towards the cost of disposing/processing of the toxic components, or shipping them wherever the processing takes place. I used to volunteer at a computer recycling center and I got to learn some of the convoluted politics surrounding e-waste. Some components will likely be refurbished and resold, but they likely won't bring in enough revenue to offset the costs of shipping, processing, regulation (assuring the government that the parties ultimately responsible for processing the waste are doing so properly and not just dumping CRTs in a river), administration, insurance, etc. The guy who runs the recycling center makes enough money to pay for the warehouse it's based in, pay the administrative staff, and, if it's a good month, eat.
Likely a large organization could iron out a lot of the kinks, pinch enough pennies to make a small profit, but not enough of a profit to even show up as a footnote in the profit report of a company the size of Staples. This is going to be a PR move on their part. Any money they make will be a secondary consideration.
posted by lekvar at 12:28 PM on May 31, 2007
Likely a large organization could iron out a lot of the kinks, pinch enough pennies to make a small profit, but not enough of a profit to even show up as a footnote in the profit report of a company the size of Staples. This is going to be a PR move on their part. Any money they make will be a secondary consideration.
posted by lekvar at 12:28 PM on May 31, 2007
This can only be a good thing. There are many more Staples outlets than there are municipal waste centers which can take in and recycle used electronic gear.
Another good behavioral motivator would be for computer vendors to charge a $10 or similar recycling "deposit" (just like we used to do with glass bottles) — bring your computer in to the vendor and get $10 back.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:30 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
Another good behavioral motivator would be for computer vendors to charge a $10 or similar recycling "deposit" (just like we used to do with glass bottles) — bring your computer in to the vendor and get $10 back.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:30 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
The price is half what my city charges. The hours are better than the city's. Win Win until as suggested above people start dumping things after hours.
posted by Gungho at 12:31 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by Gungho at 12:31 PM on May 31, 2007
Oh, and a hammer and screwdriver smashed into the HD will shatter the platters, and make a cool tinkley sound.
posted by Gungho at 12:32 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by Gungho at 12:32 PM on May 31, 2007
Goodwill will take your computers/parts and even give you a receipt you can use as a tax write off.
posted by IronLizard at 12:46 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 12:46 PM on May 31, 2007
$10 to get rid of an old monitor actually sounds kind of cheap.
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
posted by Artw at 12:48 PM on May 31, 2007
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
posted by Artw at 12:48 PM on May 31, 2007
Goodwill will take your computers/parts and even give you a receipt you can use as a tax write off.
Not the ones around here. Big sign: "Not accepting computers."
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:55 PM on May 31, 2007
Not the ones around here. Big sign: "Not accepting computers."
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:55 PM on May 31, 2007
$10 seems like a good deal to me, if I can be reasonably sure that the parts will actually be recycled. My local Goodwill takes them, but I'm not sure that they aren't put in the dumpster if they aren't saleable.
posted by donajo at 1:00 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by donajo at 1:00 PM on May 31, 2007
I've got a lot of old computers and parts I'd like to dispose of, but for $10? They arent worth ebay, and they arent worth spending $10 to get rid of.
Well, maybe the monitors I could get rid of to save space.
posted by SirOmega at 1:02 PM on May 31, 2007
Well, maybe the monitors I could get rid of to save space.
posted by SirOmega at 1:02 PM on May 31, 2007
In California, we paid this fee up front, as part of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003. Like a really big soda can.
The few E-Waste collections I've been to didn't charge anything.
posted by meowzilla at 1:03 PM on May 31, 2007
The few E-Waste collections I've been to didn't charge anything.
posted by meowzilla at 1:03 PM on May 31, 2007
I would/will pay this to get rid of the 8 computers taking up space around my house. But only if they can address the security question.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2007
$10 to get rid of an old monitor actually sounds kind of cheap.
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
When you charge people over and above to throw something away, there's very little chance that they'll do it. Tragedy of the Commons and all that. They'll simply toss it in a business dumpster or leave it at someone's door. There's a strong disincentive to clean up a dumped monitor also, as doing so will cost you the $10 that the dumper didn't pay.
The only way to ensure that the $10 required to handle a monitor is collected fairly is to charge at the original point of sale. This way you can establish free (as in already-paid-for) collection points for people to drop off their stuff. Voila!
- No dumped equipment
- No trickle down of charges to poorer people/people purchasing used equipment.
posted by unixrat at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2007
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
When you charge people over and above to throw something away, there's very little chance that they'll do it. Tragedy of the Commons and all that. They'll simply toss it in a business dumpster or leave it at someone's door. There's a strong disincentive to clean up a dumped monitor also, as doing so will cost you the $10 that the dumper didn't pay.
The only way to ensure that the $10 required to handle a monitor is collected fairly is to charge at the original point of sale. This way you can establish free (as in already-paid-for) collection points for people to drop off their stuff. Voila!
- No dumped equipment
- No trickle down of charges to poorer people/people purchasing used equipment.
posted by unixrat at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2007
I would/will pay this to get rid of the 8 computers taking up space around my house. But only if they can address the security question.
• Darik's Boot and Nuke
• Cobalt drill bits
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:10 PM on May 31, 2007
• Darik's Boot and Nuke
• Cobalt drill bits
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:10 PM on May 31, 2007
The only way to ensure that the $10 required to handle a monitor is collected fairly is to charge at the original point of sale.
Very good idea unixrat. It sounded familiar so I googled 'electronic recycling fee'. And voila: California already does it. Though I don't know how the implementation is going. Alberta is starting one too. I know BC has a new law coming into effect soon that will make it illegal to dump e-waste, but I don't recall hearing anything about a point-of-sale fee. It makes sense.
Here in Vancouver there is a deposit on bottlse and cans, and a number of entrepreneurial homeless prowl the allies and dumpsters, find all the bottles and cans, and return them to the recycling centers to collect the deposits. It's actually kind of comical - you can leave a bag of bottles on the ground, turn around, and turn back and they're gone!
You can find dumped monitors in the alleys too - and
sometimes people bust them open to get the copper wire inside, leaving hazardous materials exposed. If there was a $10 deposit on monitors, they would disappear quickly.
posted by PercussivePaul at 1:26 PM on May 31, 2007
Very good idea unixrat. It sounded familiar so I googled 'electronic recycling fee'. And voila: California already does it. Though I don't know how the implementation is going. Alberta is starting one too. I know BC has a new law coming into effect soon that will make it illegal to dump e-waste, but I don't recall hearing anything about a point-of-sale fee. It makes sense.
Here in Vancouver there is a deposit on bottlse and cans, and a number of entrepreneurial homeless prowl the allies and dumpsters, find all the bottles and cans, and return them to the recycling centers to collect the deposits. It's actually kind of comical - you can leave a bag of bottles on the ground, turn around, and turn back and they're gone!
You can find dumped monitors in the alleys too - and
sometimes people bust them open to get the copper wire inside, leaving hazardous materials exposed. If there was a $10 deposit on monitors, they would disappear quickly.
posted by PercussivePaul at 1:26 PM on May 31, 2007
unixrat, as meowzilla states above, there's already a system like that in CA. The problem is the bureaucracy has made it nearly impossible for independent recyclers to collect the moneys set aside by the state to pay for the service. I've heard that the department in charge of fee collection/disbursement has 10 staff members, total. That's no nearly enough to handle the number of requests made by the various contractors - there's three I can think of off the top of my head in this geographical region, and probably a dozen more I don't know of.
Plus, even if there is a point-of-sale surcharge, that doesn't keep peole from dumping monitors, and it barely covers the cost of dragging CRTs and other e-waste out of the dump. I doubt that doubling the fee and setting up a deposit refund at the recycling point would even make much of a difference. Sure, some people would like to reclaim that $10, but many more couldn't be bothered to load up their car and drive it to the recyclicling station.
Apathy is the real issue here.
posted by lekvar at 1:35 PM on May 31, 2007
Plus, even if there is a point-of-sale surcharge, that doesn't keep peole from dumping monitors, and it barely covers the cost of dragging CRTs and other e-waste out of the dump. I doubt that doubling the fee and setting up a deposit refund at the recycling point would even make much of a difference. Sure, some people would like to reclaim that $10, but many more couldn't be bothered to load up their car and drive it to the recyclicling station.
Apathy is the real issue here.
posted by lekvar at 1:35 PM on May 31, 2007
$10 to get rid of an old monitor actually sounds kind of cheap.
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
What's amazing is how many end up here. There is still only one sucker born every minute, right?
posted by squalor at 1:35 PM on May 31, 2007
I'm always amazed at how many I see out on the street, either smashed and abandoned or left as "freebies".
What's amazing is how many end up here. There is still only one sucker born every minute, right?
posted by squalor at 1:35 PM on May 31, 2007
Costs of recycling should be built into the purchase price. To pretend that it isn't part of the cost is dumb, dumb, dumb. This principle needs to be propagated throughout our economic system, from power generation to automobile purchases, to packaging choices. Many of our environmental problems stem from not realizing the costs up front, but rather delaying and diffusing them in a way that makes clean up next to impossible.
posted by Mental Wimp at 1:38 PM on May 31, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Mental Wimp at 1:38 PM on May 31, 2007 [2 favorites]
Some not for profits will no longer take used computers and tech parts. Some schools won't either.
I used to help a local elementary school with their tech program and I hated (HATED!) used computer donations. Most educational software will not work on older computers. Many of these computers were missing cables or keys or other essential parts that were time consuming to source. None of them were clean, the physical exterior or the hard drives. Matching up old CPU's to old printers and peripherals was frustrating. Sometimes the things donated did not even work and the donor knew it, they would attach a note to the unit! "Needs a new [insert part here]." They just wanted to get rid of it and get a tax write off.
The computers couldn't be used to teach computers in the lab because efficient teaching of 20-30 students in a lab setting required hardware and software standardization that we just couldn't get with a pile of donated units.
The time and aggrevation and expense of trying to make out of date technology usable cancelled out any potential savings from the technology being "free".
The person who can establish an easy and cheap to plan for making mismatched, out of date technology work in public schools will be doing the world a wonderful service.
posted by jeanmari at 1:51 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
I used to help a local elementary school with their tech program and I hated (HATED!) used computer donations. Most educational software will not work on older computers. Many of these computers were missing cables or keys or other essential parts that were time consuming to source. None of them were clean, the physical exterior or the hard drives. Matching up old CPU's to old printers and peripherals was frustrating. Sometimes the things donated did not even work and the donor knew it, they would attach a note to the unit! "Needs a new [insert part here]." They just wanted to get rid of it and get a tax write off.
The computers couldn't be used to teach computers in the lab because efficient teaching of 20-30 students in a lab setting required hardware and software standardization that we just couldn't get with a pile of donated units.
The time and aggrevation and expense of trying to make out of date technology usable cancelled out any potential savings from the technology being "free".
The person who can establish an easy and cheap to plan for making mismatched, out of date technology work in public schools will be doing the world a wonderful service.
posted by jeanmari at 1:51 PM on May 31, 2007 [1 favorite]
Apathy is the real issue here.
Yep. Now look at this Staples thing from this perspective instead:
- Some (not all) of our potential customers care about recycling to a certain degree.
- Some (a subset of previous) of our potential customers will actually jump through small hoops to recycle properly when given the opportunity.
- If we offer to recycle, but with a token fee (small hoop), we will get the PR goodwill from all of our potential customers who care about recycling, but only a subset of those will actually take advantage of it, thus preventing us from becoming a computer dumping ground for everyone who wanders by.
So Staples here is making a good PR move here, and for those people who actually recycle this provides another (or the only, depending on region) option for them to do so correctly.
It does not, however, address the apathy issue, except for those people who are willing to lug the pieces to a recycling center, but too apathetic to do the research of finding one.
posted by davejay at 1:56 PM on May 31, 2007
Yep. Now look at this Staples thing from this perspective instead:
- Some (not all) of our potential customers care about recycling to a certain degree.
- Some (a subset of previous) of our potential customers will actually jump through small hoops to recycle properly when given the opportunity.
- If we offer to recycle, but with a token fee (small hoop), we will get the PR goodwill from all of our potential customers who care about recycling, but only a subset of those will actually take advantage of it, thus preventing us from becoming a computer dumping ground for everyone who wanders by.
So Staples here is making a good PR move here, and for those people who actually recycle this provides another (or the only, depending on region) option for them to do so correctly.
It does not, however, address the apathy issue, except for those people who are willing to lug the pieces to a recycling center, but too apathetic to do the research of finding one.
posted by davejay at 1:56 PM on May 31, 2007
The amount of e-waste is staggering. The recycle programs catch just a drop in the bucket - imagine how many cell phones a typical person owns in a lifetime and multiply by a few billion people. Add keyboards, TVs, monitors, mice, CPU's, etc.. all of it toxic to some degree.
posted by stbalbach at 1:59 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by stbalbach at 1:59 PM on May 31, 2007
I just bought a new cellphone.
It came with packaging for me to send the old phone back for recycling.
(as for the chargers, they interoperate, so now I have one for the office and one for home. Win-win.)
posted by mephron at 2:27 PM on May 31, 2007
It came with packaging for me to send the old phone back for recycling.
(as for the chargers, they interoperate, so now I have one for the office and one for home. Win-win.)
posted by mephron at 2:27 PM on May 31, 2007
I wonder if it's possible to find out exactly what Staples intends to do with the junk. I read recently that the demand for electronics has made certain elements/metals more expensive and in some cases harder to find and so companies were looking at finding ways to recover the stuff. While I'm very glad to see even token moves to halt the flow of waste and pollution, I wonder exactly how cynical Staples is being here.
posted by Zinger at 2:32 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by Zinger at 2:32 PM on May 31, 2007
Hey, mephron, me too! I was pleasantly surprised at the interoperability of the chargers.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:37 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:37 PM on May 31, 2007
Zinger, the article says that everything is recycled according to EPA specs. While there's some money to be made in the gold, copper and aluminum found in electronic waste, recyclers often have to pay to have steel, toner, CRTs, and plastics processed.
posted by lekvar at 2:43 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by lekvar at 2:43 PM on May 31, 2007
NYC has been taking old electronics and computers for free for a while now. DSNY electronics recycling events
posted by amberglow at 2:58 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by amberglow at 2:58 PM on May 31, 2007
Here in Key West, we have an amazing program. Two actually but they work together.
The one is called Leave Your Junk Outside (With A Sign That Says FREE). Usually this program works great. Stuff just disappears!
The second program is called Leave Your Junk At The Salvation Army (At Night).
posted by humannaire at 3:18 PM on May 31, 2007
The one is called Leave Your Junk Outside (With A Sign That Says FREE). Usually this program works great. Stuff just disappears!
The second program is called Leave Your Junk At The Salvation Army (At Night).
posted by humannaire at 3:18 PM on May 31, 2007
Nice thing about NYC is that, for any equipment that still works, I could dump it on the sidewalk with a clear conscience. Someone's gonna pick it up.
If they did a bottle deposit type of thing, I could leave broken stuff there too, and the bums would clean it up for me, just like bottles. Things would get recycled, bums would get money, and I wouldn't have to do any work.
How do they define when the deposit is paid, though? This computer is partly from 2003, partly from 2005, and has random other parts in there going back to 1999. How many deposits should I have paid, or will they break it up by component, which makes for a big pain in the ass?
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 4:51 PM on May 31, 2007
If they did a bottle deposit type of thing, I could leave broken stuff there too, and the bums would clean it up for me, just like bottles. Things would get recycled, bums would get money, and I wouldn't have to do any work.
How do they define when the deposit is paid, though? This computer is partly from 2003, partly from 2005, and has random other parts in there going back to 1999. How many deposits should I have paid, or will they break it up by component, which makes for a big pain in the ass?
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 4:51 PM on May 31, 2007
Here in Boston, if you call the DPW, you can schedule curbside pickup of old monitors and TVs (if you try to just leave them out with the trash, you'll get a nice handwritten note from one of the garbagemen about how they won't take that stuff).
posted by adamg at 4:52 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by adamg at 4:52 PM on May 31, 2007
The only place I can dispose of monitors up here costs $20 and their hours suck. (county hazmat disposal fee)
As a result I've got 3 or 4 dead monitors I haven't disposed of yet.
If Staples will indeed take the monitors off my hands for half what I'd pay the county I'm happy to let them have the junk.
I'm torn though ... someday I might need the flyback transformers and you don't get those from flat panel displays.
posted by Dillenger69 at 4:59 PM on May 31, 2007
As a result I've got 3 or 4 dead monitors I haven't disposed of yet.
If Staples will indeed take the monitors off my hands for half what I'd pay the county I'm happy to let them have the junk.
I'm torn though ... someday I might need the flyback transformers and you don't get those from flat panel displays.
posted by Dillenger69 at 4:59 PM on May 31, 2007
When I didn't know any better, I put old computers out on the curb, though never monitors. They got picked up. As far as I can tell, out here, they'll pick up just about anything short of a dead blonde girl, wrapped in plastic.
I do believe the "solution" is to have an upfront disposal fee. Right now, our economic model is that a lot of our land resources and landfills are more "free" than they actually are. It's kind of a wild idea, but just as I believed that economics began to more correctly reflect reality when labor was factored in, so too do I believe that adding the true cost of disposal, land restoration, etc., will create another great economic change that will change the way we live our lives.
posted by adipocere at 5:06 PM on May 31, 2007
I do believe the "solution" is to have an upfront disposal fee. Right now, our economic model is that a lot of our land resources and landfills are more "free" than they actually are. It's kind of a wild idea, but just as I believed that economics began to more correctly reflect reality when labor was factored in, so too do I believe that adding the true cost of disposal, land restoration, etc., will create another great economic change that will change the way we live our lives.
posted by adipocere at 5:06 PM on May 31, 2007
For those of you who get Al Gore's fantastic TV channel, tonight on Current TV at 9:02 EDT: Toxic Villages.
Much of the world's electronic waste ends up in developing countries, such as China, to be recycled. The crude process can have serious health and environmental consequences.
Produced By
Mitch Koss & Laura Ling
Duration
00:15:36
Location
Shantou, China; Guiyu, China
posted by rxrfrx at 5:10 PM on May 31, 2007
Much of the world's electronic waste ends up in developing countries, such as China, to be recycled. The crude process can have serious health and environmental consequences.
Produced By
Mitch Koss & Laura Ling
Duration
00:15:36
Location
Shantou, China; Guiyu, China
posted by rxrfrx at 5:10 PM on May 31, 2007
Newsworld International was fantastic. Current is not fantastic, merely better than most of the crap on TV, and then only some of the time.
posted by wierdo at 6:35 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by wierdo at 6:35 PM on May 31, 2007
what wierdo said. Current bites and has been very disappointing. NWI was the alternative to CNN/MSNBC/FOX we needed.
posted by amberglow at 6:37 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by amberglow at 6:37 PM on May 31, 2007
NYC has been taking old electronics and computers for free for a while now. DSNY electronics recycling events
Which is cool, but out here in the boroughs they come few and far between, and often are not real close to the subway. I sure as heck have a Staples a lot closer by.
posted by hackly_fracture at 7:03 PM on May 31, 2007
Which is cool, but out here in the boroughs they come few and far between, and often are not real close to the subway. I sure as heck have a Staples a lot closer by.
posted by hackly_fracture at 7:03 PM on May 31, 2007
I have to say to some of the naysayers, do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If your only options now are a) throw it out and b) pay $20+ for recycling, a place offering $10 recycling is, well, better. It won't get every PC out of the waste stream, but it will get a good portion of them. Anyway, for Staples it means an opportunity to get a customer into their store, so who cares if it isn't a profit center for them?
posted by dhartung at 9:40 PM on May 31, 2007
posted by dhartung at 9:40 PM on May 31, 2007
Costs of recycling should be built into the purchase price.
I'm pretty sure I saw on the news last week that they would be doing this for all electrical household appliances. Don't remember, though, if it's an EU directive or if it's or if it's just Italy finally adhering to it.
I do remember thinking that it was pretty neat, right up until the part when they said 'prices will see a slight increase'. Dog forbid that corporate profit margins are even slightly affected.
So for corporations to be environmentally responsible, the end consumer pays the price. If corporations aren't forced to be environmentally responsible, the end consumer pays the price. Win-win!
posted by romakimmy at 2:53 AM on June 1, 2007
I'm pretty sure I saw on the news last week that they would be doing this for all electrical household appliances. Don't remember, though, if it's an EU directive or if it's or if it's just Italy finally adhering to it.
I do remember thinking that it was pretty neat, right up until the part when they said 'prices will see a slight increase'. Dog forbid that corporate profit margins are even slightly affected.
So for corporations to be environmentally responsible, the end consumer pays the price. If corporations aren't forced to be environmentally responsible, the end consumer pays the price. Win-win!
posted by romakimmy at 2:53 AM on June 1, 2007
I don't use a computer. Do I still have to pay them $10?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:34 AM on June 1, 2007
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:34 AM on June 1, 2007
Freecycle
When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of the local Freecycle group.
Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member's offer, and you just might get it. After that, it's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.
posted by sunexplodes at 9:42 AM on June 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of the local Freecycle group.
Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member's offer, and you just might get it. After that, it's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.
posted by sunexplodes at 9:42 AM on June 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
the end consumer pays the price
Consumer pays in any event as the price for improper disposal is borne by all of us.
posted by Mental Wimp at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2007
Consumer pays in any event as the price for improper disposal is borne by all of us.
posted by Mental Wimp at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2007
we pay for the product, we pay for the electricity necessary to use it, we pay for the internet access too--we might as well pay for the recycling.
It's not just another charge--i think it's worth it, as long as the recycling is actually done, and this isn't just a publicity stunt by Staples or other companies.
posted by amberglow at 8:33 AM on June 3, 2007
It's not just another charge--i think it's worth it, as long as the recycling is actually done, and this isn't just a publicity stunt by Staples or other companies.
posted by amberglow at 8:33 AM on June 3, 2007
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posted by Pope Guilty at 11:35 AM on May 31, 2007