Electronics Recycling Lowers My Taxes?

’s the first time you’ve heard it,the Convention did apply.
I’m happy to say it’s true.Like virgin material mining and extraction,
Electronics recycling, along with most other typeselectronics recycling from electronic scrap has
of recycling is politically right, thus there areraised concerns over toxicity and carcinogenicity
companies that will provide you with a Taxof some of its substances and processes. Toxic
Deductible Donation Acknowledgment where yousubstances in electronic waste may include lead,
decide how much your donated items are worthmercury, and cadmium. Carcinogenic substances in
by filling out the amount on the acknowledgmentelectronic waste may include polychlorinated
and then filing it with your taxes at the end ofbiphenyls (PCBs). Capacitors, transformers, and
the tax year. That in a nutshell would mean thatwires insulated with or components coated with
your participation in electronics recycling lowerspolyvinyl chloride (PVC), manufactured before
your taxes! Not only that, but it helps you to1977, often contain dangerous amounts of PCBs.
garner more free space in your living quarters andIncreased regulation of electronic recycling via
costs you not one penny as most onlineelectronic waste, and concern over the
electronics recycling companies provide freeenvironmental harm which can result from toxic
shipping.electronic waste has raised disposal costs. The
One might ask, “what’s theregulation creates an economic disincentive to
attraction of used electronics other thanremove residues prior to export. In extreme
channeling them into electronics recycling bins?cases, brokers and others calling themselves
Actually surplus electronics have extremely highrecyclers export unscreened electronic waste to
cost differentials. A single repairable laptop can bedeveloping countries, avoiding the expense of
worth hundreds of dollars, while an implodedremoving items like bad cathode ray tubes (the
cathode ray tube (CRT) is extremely difficult andprocessing of which is expensive and difficult). This
expensive to recycle. This has created a difficultmakes electronics recycling look bad.
free-market economy. Large quantities of usedDefenders of the trade in used electronics say
electronics are typically sold to countries withthat extraction of metals from virgin mining has
very high repair capability and high raw materialalso been shifted to developing countries.
demand, which can result in high accumulations ofHard-rock mining of copper, silver, gold and other
residue in poor areas without strongmaterials extracted from electronics is considered
environmental laws. Outside of electronicsfar more environmentally damaging than true
recycling, trade in electronic waste is controlled byelectronics recycling which is the recycling of
the Basel Convention. The Basel Conventionthose materials. They also state that repair and
Parties have considered the question of whetherreuse of computers and televisions has become a
exports of hazardous used electronic equipment"lost art" in wealthier nations, and that refurbishing
for repair or refurbishment are considered ashas traditionally been a path to development.
Basel Convention hazardous wastes, subject toWith all of this said, we are pleased that America
import and export controls under that Convention.has strict standards relative to EPA regulations.
In the Guidance document produced on thatThe details regarding toxicity and electronics
subject, that question was left up to the Parties,recycling in general seems like a bundle of
however in the working group all of the Partiestechnical dogma, or a high heap of electronic
present believed that when material is untested,waste. That’s why I like to keep simple
or contains hazardous parts that would need toas in Electronics Recycling Lowers My Taxes!
be replaced as part of the repair process, then