Consumer electronics giants launched their first nationwide electronics recycling program on April 13. The goal is to recycle one billion pounds of electronics annually by 2016. One billion pounds of discarded electronics, if not properly recycled, would be enough to fill a 50-foot tractor trailer, lined up for 475 miles, or fill a 71,000-seat football field. Leading the eCycling initiative in Washington, D.C., on the morning of the 13th, were the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Best Buy, Panasonic North America, Sony Electronics, and Toshiba Information Systems, among others. At the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), stated, "The launch of the eCycling program marks a watershed moment in the history of electronics recycling in the United States." This program is the result of collaboration between consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, collectors, recyclers, NGOs, and various levels of government, coordinated by the CEA. To reach the goal of recycling one billion pounds of reusable items, the more than 5,000 industry-sponsored recycling centers currently operating must be more consumer-conscious and increase their opportunities to collect recyclable items. One of the program's key actions is educating consumers, utilizing new online tools and...
