Feb. 9 - E-waste Disposal Ban Starts Today

The California Department of Toxics Substances Control (DTSC) has affirmed a decision recognizing a wide array of consumer electronic products as hazardous and prohibiting their disposal in household trash effective today.

The policy potentially affects thousands of consumer electronic devices and the disposal of the more than 500,000 tons of toxic electronic wastes that are currently landfilled in California. The DTSC has already identified a number of specific products that will be affected by the ban. They include: computers, cell phones, all household batteries, fluorescent lamps, mercury thermostats, printers, VCRs, telephones, answering machines, radios, and microwaves. However, the disposal of any electronic device containing hazardous materials is prohibited.