Lorries filled with muddy microwaves, burned up toaster ovens and other materials have been arriving at warehouses to be dealt with after the disaster. Materials Processing, a local recycling firm, is saving other electronics destroyed in the recent Iowa floods from landfills.
Along with the usual items, Materials Processing also got its share of mud and rust. In fat there were six semi trailer trucks filled with loads of other household electronics sent to Materials Processing for recycling.
“Usually we don’t get the mud,” said Alan Tepfer, logistics coordinator logistics for the 6,000 items destroyed in the flood. “This is much more dirty for us.”
Not so long ago, electronics went to landfills, said Eric Noldt, the Environmental Protection Agency’s site coordinator for the Iowa waste collection.
Fortunately, environmental organizations have realized that “tech trash” creates environmental risk. TVs and computer monitors can leak mercury, lead and other toxic materials. Other electronics contain other hazardous materials or will never biodegrade.
Best Buy, the e-tailer that stepped in with an electronics recycling effort after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, approached the EPA with a similar scheme for Iowa in the wake of its tragedy, spokeswoman Tricia Conroy said. When Iowa residents began calling the stores to find out what to do with ruined electronics, Best Buy leapt into action.
Officials determined that it would take less than a day to reduce the tech trash to simple components, extract the copper and other valuable metals. The glass would be sent to Wisconsin for recycling; the plastic to Minnesota for the manufacture of lawn furniture.
For more information, visit: bestbuy.com
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