Where Electronic Devices Go to Die, and Be Reborn

of people are today enjoying new electronic devices, becoming familiar with a tablet, phone, PC, or television that was waiting under the tree. But just as this year’s bounty displaces a generation of older devices, so too will these new toys eventually be made to seem obsolete. They will reside in a box in the garage for a while. Then one day, during spring cleaning perhaps, it will be time to go.
Consumers have a number of options for unwanted electronics—particularly mobile devices that still have some residual value and can be re-sold. But recycling is typically the only choice for older, bulkier electronics such as TVs and computers. Packed with hazardous materials, most e-waste is no longer accepted at landfills. Recycling it is a complex process.
We recently visited Total Reclaim, a large electronics recycler in Seattle, to learn about the un-building of our gadgets. It’s the largest of eight processing facilities around the state that participates in E-Cycle Washington, a 5-year-old program that offers handling of obsolete devices,
pcb board paid for by their manufacturers under a 2006 state law. The program has handled more than 200 million pounds of e-waste, diverting it from landfills and ensuring that it isn’t shipped overseas to places with lax environmental and safety standards.