12/23/09 Bend

By Doug Johnson

During the holidays, electronics are always a popular gift, from computers, video games to flat screen TVs. While making space for the new ones, be careful how you throw away your old electronics. Starting January first 2010, a state mandated program bans certain electronic waste in the land fill.

"Basically the idea is to keep as much of that material out of the landfills as possible," says Brian Stone, with Bend Garbage and Recycling.

Metals and other chemicals found in many monitors, computers and televisions can become hazardous if left in a land fill for too long. The ban doesn't include printers, fax machines or cell phones. There are six sites which will dispose of electronics legally in Bend, two in Redmond and two in Prineville. The recycling center at the Knott Land Fill in Bend will accept all electronics, and has been participating in a voluntary collection program since the beginning of 2009. So far it has collected well over a half million pounds.

"Kind of put that in perspective a little bit, it's the same as twenty six or twenty seven semi trucks full of electronics that we've sent for recycling here," says Stone.

From the landfill, the electronics are shipped to a de-manufacturing plant in Vancouver Washington. There, every last piece is taken apart and recycled.

"Disassembly line, literally, where they just take them apart and the various components are segregated and recycled up to and including the glass out of the old school TV screens is actually recycled," Stone says.

If you do throw a TV, monitor or computer in the trash in 2010, you'll be sorry. Penalties for violating the disposal ban may be as high as five hundred dollars for each electronic.

For a list of place to recycle TVs, monitors and computers legally, visit:

http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/ecycle/consumers/landfillban.htm