The holidays are here and for many, the latest and greatest technology products will supplant their tried and true devices from years past. The life of today's consumer electronics products is the shortest in human history. Products are almost obsolete at the release of a new and improved competitive device. Sadly, the commoditization of technology coupled with our throwaway society has made landfills an almost too common endpoint for these devices. The dark side to the electronics industry is that many of the components that make electronics work are caustic to the environment and even known to be carcinogenic to humans.
There are alternatives to merely throwing away electronic devices. Many states are starting to implement legislation to prevent this environmental hazard and turn the tables on electronics recycling.
Verizon has been a leader in bringing attention to these challenges, and hosts electronic recycling rally events across the country, throughout the year. In bringing this initiative to life, Verizon selected SHI to manage these events, bringing the expertise of safely handling this material to the masses. This is accomplished through a partnership with AnythingIT, a Fair Lawn, NJ based E-waste handler.
One of SHI’s premier Asset Recovery partners, AnythingIT maintains the coveted e-Stewards certificate, the global benchmark for responsible recycling. The e-Stewards certificate prevents recyclers from using landfills, exporting e-waste or using prison labor to handle displaced equipment.
Verizon has partnered with the Super Bowl XLVIII Host Committee to bring attention to the issues of e-waste. And to kick off the New Year, Verizon will sponsor two electronics recycling events in New York and New Jersey:
- Tuesday, January 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at AnythingIT's Fair Lawn headquarters, located at 17-09 Zink Place, Unit 1.
- Wednesday, January 8th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Duffy Square in Times Square, New York.
The vast majority of devices received will be recycled down to the component level. Verizon has also partnered with two non-profit organizations that have a need for used technology. Laptops that are in working condition will be given to "Work Vessels for Veterans, Inc." for the purpose of empowering veterans with the tools needed to renter the workforce. Cellular products are given to HopeLine® by Verizon, a program that provides communication products to victims of domestic violence situations. Everything else will be recycled, ensuring that the displaced devices from "yesterday" don't become an e-headache of "tomorrow".
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NFL, recycling rally, recycling