Down and Dirty with the New Electronic Waste Law

Is it time for a new computer or TV? Well, don’t throw the old one out with the rest of the garbage. Since Jan. 1, Libertyville trash haulers no longer will pick it up.

The state of Illinois’ new Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act now makes it illegal to dump electronics such as old iPods, computer monitors, TVs, DVD players, video game consoles and similar devices into landfills. From now on, these items must be turned in for recycling at stores that accept them or at collection events hosted by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

“It’s an environmental issue,” said David Walters, manager of waste reduction at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. “These items contain different types of metals, such as cadmium, mercury and lead, and we don’t want them leaking into the groundwater.”

The new recycling mandate, which was passed in 2007 but just went into effect, will come at no extra cost to residents of Libertyville or Lake County. Instead, electronics manufacturers will be footing the bill. Federal law requires them to recycle an ever-increasing percentage of used electronics. Manufacturers must contract with regional recycling companies to collect and process the waste.

There’s not just environmental benefits to be had.

“These items contain valuable components,” Walters said. “It’s worthwhile to capture them and recycle their gold, silver and other plastics.” For example, manufacturers, such as Apple or Samsung pay the recyclers and they recoup the value, he says.

Lake County falls under contract to MPC, a Mendota Heights, Minn.-based electronics recycling company. The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, or SWALCO, coordinates its recycling efforts with MPC. The agency will host collection events all over Lake County, where consumers can drop off their old electronics for free. Also, it has several collection centers that can be found at www.swalco.org/.

Ignoring the new law comes with steep penalties. The EPA will inspect landfills, and if electronics are found, they could pay some $7,000 in fines. The penalties for residents is less harsh: They can be fined $25 for throwing out old electronics. Legally, local law enforcement can hand out fines, but “that’s not likely to happen often,” Walters said. Instead, trash collectors probably will leave it on the curb.

“The bottom line is it’s a law and we should do it,” said Merleanne Rampale, public information and education director at SWALCO. “All of our programs cost absolutely nothing to residents, and it’s convenient and easy in Libertyville because there are drop-off locations all over the county.”

So far, no company or resident has been fined for violating the new law.

Solid Waste Agency of Lake County

• 490 Greenleaf Drive, Vernon Hills
• 1-847-336-9340
• 440 E. Crystal St., Mundelein
• (Closed for winter, operational from May to September)
• 1-847-336-9340

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