Technology is changing at such a rapid pace that many individuals and businesses find themselves with outdated and unneeded equipment. Historically, these items would populate our landfills. However, due to the usage of toxic materials in their production, it is now considered irresponsible, and in some cases even illegal to simply throw them away. While the legislative material on this subject is expansive, and varies from state to state, let's take a brief look at what Colorado Law has to say about it.
The following information is from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Households are encouraged, but not required to recycle their electronics. They are considered exempt from CDPHE and RCRA regulations and can dispose of electronic equipment with the regular trash carrier.
The bulk of the regulations deal with non-residential waste. Non-residential sources that send their electronic devices for disposal are considered the generator of the waste and must follow regulatory requirements regarding proper waste management and disposal. Colorado regulations prohibit non-residential sources from disposing of any hazardous wastes in solid waste landfills. Used electronic equipment and components removed from electronic equipment would be regulated as RCRA hazardous wastes if the material exhibits the characteristic of toxicity. This is determined by using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test. If the extract from a representative sample of the waste contains one or more of the eight toxicity characteristic metals at a concentration greater than or equal to the maximum contaminant concentration for that metal, the waste would be considered hazardous. Non-residential sources that send their color monitors, color televisions, or other electronic equipment for recycling are not considered generators of a waste. The recycler must make the determination on what must be done with the equipment, and may or may not charge a fee for the service. The recycler is subject to all pertinent regulations and requirements.
There are several easy things a business can do when trying to dispose of unneeded equipment.
- Contact local non-profit organizations such as the Goodwill, DAV, Salvation Army, Boys Club, YMCA, etc.
- Colorado Hi-Tech Solutions provides a convenient and reasonably priced recycling service for all of our current and future clients. Recycling Program Details Here.
