Signal Tribune Newspaper

CRT monitors, televisions, cell phones, fax machines, printers, VCRs, copiers, toners, monitors & terminals, hard drives, main frames, keyboards, mice, laptops and power supplies will be accepted during Saturday’s e-waste drive.

By Brett Ashley Hawkins
Editorial Intern

It’s a common question among the household these days– with new gadgets coming out so often, what should be done with obsolete, outdated technology?
Global E-Recyclers, which provides businesses and consumers with technology disposal and recycling services using environmentally safe procedures, will collect old appliances Saturday, Sept. 4 from 9am to 3pm at 3515 Linden Ave. The collection event will also be a fundraiser for the Long Beach Bar Foundation’s (LBBF) SHORTSTOP program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening youth of the greater Long Beach area through juvenile crime prevention and diversion, scholarships and legal education, among other charitable programs.
Technology’s shelf life has shrunk at a higher rate yearly, since computer manufacturers develop more efficient models chock full of innovation and affordability. More than a billion personal computers and monitors have been sold worldwide since 1981. An estimated 254 million computers became obsolete in the United States between 1997 and 2003, and then another 250 million between 2004 and 2007. The fate of these outdated machines is usually a one-way trip into the garage or another stockpiled storage facility. Fourteen percent are recycled or reused, and eleven percent end up in landfills. “I purchased my computer in 1997,” said Long Beach resident Patrick Finley. “I have since bought a new Macintosh in 2008. My old computer gathers dust in my attic.”
Various studies show that electronic waste is a growing concern to environmental safety. According to one study cited on the Global E-Recyclers website, 56 percent of American households have working electrical equipment they no longer use, 33 percent plan to store these appliances indefinitely, and nine percent plan to recycle them. The study goes on to say more than 10,000 computer monitors and televisions become outdated every day.
Additionally, lead, mercury, and arsenic are among several hazardous materials harbored by electrical equipment. An estimated 70 percent of heavy metals in landfills can be sourced back to discarded electronics, while electronic waste represents two percent of this country’s trash in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the disposal of waste from businesses.
Global E-Recyclers’ goal is to keep all electronic waste out of landfills. The organization is an approved participant in the California Electronic Waste recycling program, adhering to strict Cal/EPA standards for the recycling of electronics. They offer free pick-ups to businesses and institutions in Southern California. They accept electronics for recycling Monday through Friday from 8am to 3pm from Californian businesses and residents.
LBBF formed its SHORTSTOP program in 1994 to divert non-violent juvenile offenders from the ages of 10 to 17 away from the juvenile justice systems through legal education for them and their parents. It aims to improve parenting skills and family communication by emphasizing the importance of education. “SHORTSTOP is one of the most effective youth crime prevention and intervention programs offered in Long Beach,” said Timothy Jackman, Deputy Chief of Police.
Each year, the SHORTSTOP program serves more than 400 culturally and economically diverse families. All classes are taught by volunteering attorneys. “It is important to make an effort, through programs such as SHORTSTOP to salvage young people early on,” said retired Judge Richard F. Charvat. “Early deterrance is essential. It is good for the individual, and it is good for society.”
During the fundraiser, CRT monitors, televisions, cell phones, fax machines, printers, VCRs, copiers, toners, monitors & terminals, hard drives, main frames, keyboards, mice, laptops, power supplies, and many other electronics will be accepted for e-waste recycling. However, batteries or any household or kitchen appliances will not be accepted.
“We have to be in compliance with many laws,” said Liz Yanez, account executive for Global E-Recyclers. “All CRT TVs and monitors need documentation– a name and address, and, with 10 items or more, a phone number is needed as well.”

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