The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says that while a program to keep consumer electronics out of landfills fares well, concerns remain that people are still illegally dumping old televisions and other gadgets.
Governor Jim Doyle signed a law that banned most consumer electronics from Wisconsin landfills and incinerators. DNR staff told their board this week that almost 100 million pounds of electronics have been recycled through a state program for recyclers and waste collectors, called E-Cycle Wisconsin.
But E-cycle coordinator Sarah Murray says there are still some consumers unfamiliar with the law, or who illegally dump on purpose.
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“We do get complaints about dumping in rural areas. Sometimes it’s on public land, sometimes it’s in ditches, sometimes it’s on private property. We also see issues in urban areas: Maybe somebody puts a TV out at the curb and it gets smashed and creates a hazard, or they might end up in vacant lots.”
In addition, Murray says three mainly rural counties – Marquette, Iron and Florence – don’t have any e-waste collection sites. The DNR also says that some small-scale recyclers who are not part of E-cycle Wisconsin may be mismanaging the potentially harmful materials found in electronic junk.
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