This one may come as a shock to you because we don’t tend to think of things we use regularly (like our cell phones, iPods, and computers) as having the possibility to be considered hazardous. These types of wastes, identified by the somewhat new term E-wastes, include a bevy of items falling under the umbrella of out dated and out of use electronics.
So what exactly are e-wastes? According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, “’E-waste’ refers to any unwanted electronic device or Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and is classified as universal waste. E-waste frequently contains hazardous materials, predominantly lead and mercury, and is produced by households, businesses, governments, and industries.” That said, anything from old stereos and boom boxes to outdated cellphones or computers can fall into this category.
Does this mean that the longer you keep your computer the greater the chance is of it spontaneously going up in flames? Not at all. It simply means that when the time comes to dispose of your old computer you need to be sure to do it in the proper manner.
According to the Marion County ToxDrop Committee, “everything from cell phones to computers needs to be recycled rather than thrown away. Electronics contain hazardous materials such as lead and mercury. These materials, if buried in a landfill, can contaminate groundwater and cause serious health issues for humans.”
Electronics can be broken down and separated into plastic and aluminum to be reused. The City of Indianapolis has a program called ToxDrop for all city citizens where you can drop off your electronics and household hazardous waste to be recycled and/or disposed of properly. Most other cities have similar programs. It just takes a quick Google search to find out about one near you!
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our final spotlight is Shannon Dippel.
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our sixth spotlight is Susan Adams.
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our fifth spotlight is Lea Wilson
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our fourth spotlight is Melissa Fisk.
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our third spotlight is Taylor Harvey
For International Women's Week, we're spotlighting some of the incredible women in the Heritage family. Our second spotlight is Karen Esquivel.
Heritage Environmental Services (“HES”) announced today that HP Nanda will join the organization as CEO.