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CAT Tracks for November 30, 2011
COMING SOON... |
...in a vacant lot near you!
Come January 2011, expect to see more old TVs, computers, monitors, etcetera on Cairo city streets...
...next to the old tires, couches, mattresses, and bed springs.
Erecting barriers to the convenient disposal of trash/garbage only encourages illegal dumping by otherwise law-abiding citizens.
Where there was once one, there shall be many...
From the KFVS TV Channel 12 Website...
Ill. EPA disposal ban takes effect Jan. 1
Submitted by Amber Ruch
Topics: Environment, News
JACKSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says starting January 1 it will no longer be legal for individuals to dispose of unwanted electronics in their regular trash.
The Illinois EPA says electronics, including computers, monitors, electronic keyboards, scanners, fax machines and many other electronic devices, must now be taken to a registered recycler for proper management. They say it will be illegal for individuals to throw them away in the trash and illegal for Illinois landfills to accept them.
The Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act, which took effect in 2008, required manufacturers to establish a recycling program for discarded and unwanted electric products, if they sell their products in Illinois.
According to the EPA, a 2007 report showed that electronic products were the fastest growing portion of the solid waste stream. That year, three million tons of electronic products became obsolete, yet only 14 percent of those products were recycled.
During 2011, electronics manufacturers are being required to collect and recycle or refurbish more than 28 million pounds of products. The reuse of these products, including metals, plastics and glass, conserves natural resources and saves energy.
The law requires manufacturers of 17 electronic products, including televisions, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, and DVRs, to recycle their percentage of a statewide recycling goal. The EPA says manufacturers typically hire local recyclers to help them meet their goal.
The EPA says metals, which include gold, cadmium, lead and silver, if landfilled can threaten groundwater. When the metals are reused, it eliminates some of the need for mining for new supplies and can also be valuable resources when reclaimed.
For more information including requirements for individuals and manufacturers, a list of registered collectors, as well as a complete list of all electronic items in the ban, you can click here to visit the Illinois EPA's website.
KFVS12 County News Web Producer
