Don't dump that monitor! Recycling electronics is not just a good idea--it may be the law.

• Author: Kaelble, Steve
• Position: AROUND INDIANA

IT'S NOT HARD TO understand the need for recycling bottles, cans and newspapers, as they can fill up landfills quickly But computers, phone systems and other office equipment--is it really necessary?

Absolutely, says Julie Rhodes, who leads the e.Scrap project for the Indiana Recycling Coalition. It's not so much that we're in danger of being buried by old hard drives and handsets. It's more a matter of the nasty things that can be found inside those boxes, including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and brominated flame retardants. Drop those things into a landfill and you could wind up with toxins leaking into the environment.

"Our goal is to get people to seek recycling solutions here in Indiana," Rhodes says. Her group's Web site, eScrapIndiana.org, offers lots of suggestions, from community recycling programs to private companies that will take toxins off your hands.

"Sometimes they can reuse some component parts, such as power cords," she says. Other times recyclers will break items down and salvage materials. Most important, they'll make sure that the bad stuff is disposed of properly.

Companies will want to take a good look at the e.Scrap Web page titled "The Law." "Some businesses are required by law to manage their electronics as hazardous waste," Rhodes explains. That includes companies that get rid of seven or eight computer monitors a month. For these companies, it may be flat-out illegal to toss those monitors into the Dumpster.

"Even if it isn't required by law, we encourage people not to throw them in the regular trash," she says. Yes, it may cost a little money to unload electronic equipment the safe way, but she finds plenty of people eager to do the right thing. "Most people, when they understand the message, a light bulb goes on."

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