FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 5, 2006
Contact: PAUL PERILLIE, MAJORITY CAUCUS AIDE -- #(631) 854-4500

E-WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Cooper Champions Environmentally Sensitive Disposal of Electronics

This morning, the Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) that will establish an environmentally sound electronic waste policy for the County.

The current trend of rapid technological advances means that tons of consumer electronics are becoming obsolete on a monthly basis. Every new update means more devices becoming outdated and turning to electronic waste (or "e-waste"). Too much of this out-of-date technology is simply thrown into landfills. These mounds of old and improperly disposed iPods, cell phones and personal computers are leaking and leaching deadly contaminants such as cadmium, lead and mercury into the groundwater we drink and are belched into the air we breathe. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste ended up in U.S. landfills in 2000. As this number continues to rise each year, the growing tonnage gives the United States the dubious distinction of being at the top of the trash heap when it comes to nations that generate the most e-waste.

"The environmental and health impacts of e-waste may not be visible to residents of Suffolk County, but when discarded improperly-either here at home or abroad-high-tech electronics pose serious hazards to human health and the environment," says Elizabeth Grossman, author of the book High Tech Trash: Digital Devices, Hidden Toxics, and Human Health. "They contain heavy metals including lead and mercury, as well as persistent and toxic synthetic chemicals. This is a problem in which we all play a part, and which we all must help solve." Currently, Suffolk has 6,600 computers in use throughout the County. That translates into tens of thousands of memory chips, disk drives, circuit boards and microprocessors. Legislator Cooper's bill will establish a purchasing policy that will make County agencies seek out and do business with vendors who take back their computers (and other electronic devices) when they've become obsolete and recycle them in a safe and responsible manner. If sufficient vendors cannot be found, the Department of Public Works will identify and select an electronic waste recycler.

"Technology is evolving so rapidly today, and more and more electronic equipment is simply thrown in the garbage without our knowing the potential harm that e-waste can cause," says Legislator Cooper. "Like technology, we too must evolve. Unless we learn to properly dispose of electronic waste, we'll become obsolete as a species."

Since many electronic devices contain components made from copper, silver and other precious metals, Cooper's policy will not only be earth-friendly but will also benefit businesses as well. "This is a terrific piece of legislation," says Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a not-for-profit environmental advocacy organization with 80,000 members. "Intercepting the County's e-waste will reduce the amount of toxins that end up in our coastal waters and groundwater, while also reusing valuable natural resources and precious metals."