Best Buy Now Accepts E-Waste in Nine Markets and 117 Stores

Getting rid of your old PC, TV and that hulking CRT monitor can be a digital pain in the you know what. Best Buy wants to help. The consumer electronics giant announced a pilot program that allows anyone to drop off computers, cameras, cell phones, TVs and computer monitors (up to 32 inches) at Best Buy stores. Best Buy is first rolling out the program in Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and Northern California. You are limited to two items a day.

The new program will not include console TVs, air conditioners, microwaves or kitchen appliances. However the company does point out it has several 'haul away' programs to deal with larger appliances.

If successful, the company says it plans to roll out the recycling program across all 922 U.S. stores, according to reports.

E-Waste Overload

The new program came about after As You Sow, an advocacy group for corporate accountability, pushed Best Buy's shareholders to endorse increased recycling efforts by the retail giant.

Best Buy has offered recycling bins for small items such as cell phone batteries and ink cartridges since 2004, and, like many other retailers, has had in-store recycling events since 2001. The new pilot program is assumed to be the largest recycling effort for electronics by a major U.S. retailer. You can find a complete list of areas where the new recycling program is running here.

As February 17, 2009, when all TV signals will go digital and analog TVs become obsolete, many consumers are expected to opt for a new television instead of converting their existing sets. No doubt Best Buy hopes to capitalize on the expected TV sales boom by bringing customers into the store with the new recycling program.

Recycling electronics has become a major concern for manufacturers and retailers because many devices contain harmful toxins and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and zinc. According to the latest statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. dumped 2 million tons of electronics into landfills in 2005 and electronic waste is the fastest growing form of waste in the country.

CREDIT - PC World contributor Ian Paul

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June 04, 2008

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