Ideals vs. reality: Alarm clock edition

In which an argument erupts over electronics disposal 7

Last night, my fella decided to replace his 15-year-old alarm clock. For the eight years I've known him, he's had to fiddle with the dials and whack the speakers every night as he sets the alarm, so this is something of an overdue miracle.

But then there was this: "What are you going to do with it?" says I. "Throw it in the trash," says he. "That's not the proper way to dispose of a small electronic device," says I, confidently. "Why not? It cost six bucks," says he. "Because it's full of heavy metals that end up in the waste stream in China," says I, hoping I still sound authoritative. "Well, then what's the proper way to dispose of it?" says he, pausing on his trashward march.

"Uh ..." says I.

We agreed that I had 24 hours to find out, or in the trash it goes.

Katharine Wroth is a senior editor at Grist.

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  1. sindark's avatar

    sindark Posted 12:50 am
    17 Nov 2008

    Ask UmbraThis very site has a column devoted to questions such as yours. Here are a couple of entries that seem related. A quick search will likely turn up more:
    http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/07/19/music/index.ht ...
    http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2005/08/08/umbra-computer ...

    a sibilant intake of breath

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  2. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 1:03 am
    17 Nov 2008

    If he throws it in the trashit will be buried in a modern landfill located away from water tables (in theory). The bottom of the landfill is lined with clay and covered with a strong mesh which is covered with a waterproof layer of EPDM or PVC sheet. When the landfill is full it will have pipes put into it to collect methane, covered with dirt, and planted with some kind of ground cover.
    http://home.comcast.net/~russ676/photo/puter.JPG
    The streets of Seattle have plenty of old computer monitors and TVs sitting along the curbs. I take pictures of them now and then. Slowly over time somebody breaks the monitor and the pieces scatter. Little by little it gets busted into pieces and then one day it disappears when a neighbor gets sick of looking at the remains and sweeps the pieces into a trash can.
    The city makes no effort to deal with them. Getting rid of monitors takes time/QAAAAAAAAADFaEWmoney (pardon the typo. My daughter's bantam chicken just landed on my keyboard). To get rid of toxic waste in Seattle you have to find the toxic waste phone number and make an appointment to come in! Most people just bury it in the bottom of their trash can in a bag.
    There is no monitor pickup service/hotline and the system to collect toxic waste is mostly for show, highly ineffective. The collection of this waste should be part of our waste disposal system, not some half-assed voluntary thing for the conscientious or guilt riddled.

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

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  3. GreenMom Posted 2:34 am
    17 Nov 2008

    Here you gohttp://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/takeitback/electron ...
    ...assuming you live in Seattle since you're a Grist editor.
    That's all I know from 3000 miles away.

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  4. Katharine Wroth's avatar

    Katharine Wroth Posted 2:53 am
    17 Nov 2008

    Give or take 3,000Thanks GreenMom! I'm probably closer to you than to Grist HQ. I did find that my town has a quite thorough and handy guide to getting rid of stuff, from toys to trucks. So far the answer to small appliances seems to be "donate, if working" or "dispose of, if broken." Not quite the level of detail I was looking for ... but I've still got 8 hours.

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  5. Erik Hoffner's avatar

    Erik Hoffner Posted 4:16 am
    17 Nov 2008

    a good challengeIf it's too busted to be useful to someone on a regular basis, then find the nearest community theater group in the phone book and ask if they take donations that make good props, like clocks. Never know. They'd also probably be interested in the 6 half full cans of latex paint in your cellar, too. Theater groups go thru lots of building materials on no budget to put shows on.
    Erik

    The Orion Grassroots Network: supporting grassroots groups working for conservation, justice, & more

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  6. bobmount Posted 11:16 am
    17 Nov 2008

    recycleThe best way to take care of old electronics s to go on freecycle.org and see if someone else wants it.
    If not, then recycle it at a certified recycler.

    25 years in service to the planet.

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  7. Biodiversivist's avatar

    Biodiversivist Posted 1:26 am
    20 Nov 2008

    Electronics disposal shouldn't be a challengeJust dug this photo of a TV out of my cell phone, which was, as I recall, sitting at the corner of 22nd Ave NW and NW 60th St:
    http://home.comcast.net/~russ676/photo/tv.JPG

    In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

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