Barbara Corbellini Duarte/Staff Writer
Think about it. If recycling one million laptops can power 3,657 U.S. homes, what else can be done with unwanted electronic?
The Alternative Recycling Program of electronics and other materials was launched at Biscayne Bay Campus last April and is coordinated by the School of Environment, Arts and Society. It was initiated during a drive SEAS held during Earth Month.
“We had these baskets set out to collect all of these [materials], and people were asking for permanent locations,” said Jennifer Grimm, environment programs manager of SEAS and coordinator of the project.
Since the fall, cardboard boxes were distributed in seven different locations at BBC where people can drop their e-waste. The current locations are: Academic I 300, Academic II 320, WUC 141, WUC Information desk, Recreation Center, Library 311, Marine Science building 350.
According to Daniela Bueso, intern at SEAS and organizer of the alternative recycling program, in about a month, the company Etronic Ewaste LLC. will provide bins specifically made for the alternative recycling program that will be distributed around several locations on campus.
“We want to make it easier for people,” Bueso said.
The program recycles plastic bags, printer cartridges, batteries, and all types of electronics that run out of batteries or that plug in, such as cell phones, mp3 players, computers, cameras, wires and chargers. Light bulbs are also accepted, but they should be dropped off at the SEAS office to avoid breaking.
According to Grimm, the process of recycling the supplies is complicated since they are comprised of different materials.
“Once they take everything apart, then it can go into the machine,” Grimm said. “So once [you] have all the copper wire, [it] can go into the machine to be processed, but the actual disassembling has to be done by hand.”
According to Bueso, many electronic materials have toxic chemicals. She explained that if you throw them in the regular garbage, there is a high chance that it will get into the soil and eventually reach the aquifer or the ocean. Batteries are one of the more dangerous materials because they contain mercury.
“If [toxic chemicals] reach the ocean, [they] can change the acidity of the [water],” Bueso said. “It can affect wildlife. It can affect fishes. It can affect the whole entire ecosystem, and the water won’t be drinkable.”
According to Grimm, there are difficulties finding a good company that recycles electronics or alternative materials. Not many companies recycle for free as they charge to distribute boxes that will be filled up. Also, some corporations are not transparent about the recycling so it’s impossible to know if their procedure is environmentally friendly.
The company that SEAS uses for the alternative recycle program, Electronic Recycling Center, is certified by EPA.
“So if they are taking apart computer monitors, that’s all documented,” Grimm said. “Even the places abroad are all documented and certified.”
Not all products can be recycled by Electronic Recycling Center. Plastic bags are taken to Publix, and light bulbs to Home Depot.
The alternative recycle program is available only at BBC.
Modesto Maidique Campus is still working on the regular recycle program, although it has been harder to get the bins in the right places and spread the information. However, Bueso affirms that they intend to expand the alternative recycle program to MMC.
Grimm believes that many people recognize that recycling is important but don’t understand the reason behind it.
“By recycling we reduce the number of natural resources that we have to use for future items,” she said. “We can use the resources that have already been extracted and repurpose them, and use them again.”
Cell phones are the products that the program has collected most. Grimm incentivizes people to keep bringing them.
“Try just to be wise. If you have upgraded your cell phone, why not let it be turned into another phone?” Grimm said.
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