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Sony, Waste Management Launch E-waste Recycling Program

Sony and Waste Management partnered last week to launch a nationwide E-waste recycling program that could eventually lead to drop-off sites being located within 20 miles of the majority of the U.S. population. Read More

(Updated on July 24, 2024)

Sony and Waste Management partnered last week to launch a nationwide E-waste recycling program that could eventually lead to drop-off sites being located within 20 miles of the majority of the U.S. population.

Beginning Sept. 15, owners of unwanted Sony electronic products can drop the items off at 75 Waste Management Recycle America eCycling centers across the country. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program will let customers recycle other non-Sony branded products for a market-rate fee, and may include an extra charge for some materials.

The recycling centers are located in 18 states, with concentrations in California, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.

The companies plan to double the offerings within a year to include at least one recycling center in every state. Eventually, the partners want to open enough locations in every state so 95 percent of the population will only have to travel 20 miles or less.

“Providing the highest level of service and support doesn’t stop once a purchase is made,” Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics’ president and CEO, said in a statement. “We believe it is Sony’s responsibility to provide customers with end-of-life solutions for all the products we manufacture. Through the Take Back Recycling Program, our customers will know that their Sony products will be recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.”

There’s been a new focus on E-waste recycling in light of staggering numbers coming out of a 2005 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study pegging unwanted electronics at 1.9 million tons to 2.2 million tons. The report said that only 345,000 to 370,000 tons were recycled, which means as much as 1.9 million tons ended up in landfills. Recycled electronics can get a second life through the manufacture of other products, the companies said.

“People are seeking services to help them recycle electronic waste responsibly and economically,” said Patrick DeRueda, president of WM Recycle America. “This program serves consumers’ needs by offering a convenient and cost-effective waste management solution, while demonstrating our shared commitment to providing outstanding customer service and environmental stewardship.”

The program is part of a broad initiative to increase environmental stewardship in its product design, facilities management, energy conservation and recycling. It wants to recycle one pound of old electronic products for every pounds of new electronic products sold.

An E-waste recycling advocate lauded the program Friday.

“This is the kind of corporate responsibility that we rarely see in this country, but that we as consumers should insist on, before we buy any company’s products,” Ted Smith, chair of the Computer TakeBack Campaign, a national coalition promoting responsible recycling and green design for consumer electronics, said in a statement.

“We are pleased to see Sony set an aggressive collection goal. However, we need to see more details about how they will manage the e-waste they collect, to be sure that Waste Management isn’t simply exporting it to developing countries,” he said.

To locate a recycling center, call 1-877-439-2795 or visit sony.com/recycle.

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