by Timothy Justice

Created on: November 19, 2008

EWaste, or electronic waste from computers, televisions, and other electronic devices, is a serious concern which is bound to only get worse. In 2005, according to USA Today, Americans discarded 47 million computers, and the EPA estimates that we dump between 300 to 400 million electronic devices per year.

The question arises, then, who should be responsible for the costs of disposing of this waste?

When the computer world began overtaking American popular culture, we didn't give a second thought to what was to be done with the waste. Even as we had made great strides in reducing other forms of pollution, our eWaste was making an exponentially larger contribution to our nation's landfills, and it isn't until the last few years that we've even begun to give it a second thought.

Nobody wants to think about the costs of computer disposal, but the idea of placing the financial responsibility of disposal on the shoulders of the OEM's is patently ridiculous. GM doesn't pay for the disposal of the cars it manufactures. Levi Strauss doesn't pay for the disposal of ite jeans. And Dell shouldn't pay for the cost of dumping the computer you bought from them five years ago. We've never forced manufacturers to bear the cost, and it would be unreasonable for us to start now.

Add to this the fact that computers are one of the few areas where "mom and pop" manufacturers still exist. A good shop can put together a computer at a price that is competitive with the chain stores, and they can often throw in a few extras, as most techs know of several good freeware programs they can install for you without you having to hunt them down. Forcing OEM's to bear the responsibility for eWaste would put these OEMs out of business, as they would need to increase their prices to accomodate the disposal costs, while a large manufacturer such as Dell or Gateway would simply be able to ship the old computers out to recyclers.

The more the consumer has to pay for disposal of their waste, the more they will consider the impact they have on the planet. And the more likely they will be to recycle that old case instead of just dumping it and forgetting about it. If the cost of disposal is priced into the purchase price, they will continue their consumption without a thought of what happens to their appliances after they leave their house.

Sources:

(1) http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/environment/20 08-07-06-ewaste-recycling_N.htm

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