High-tech manufacturers rev up Oregon e-recycling program

The Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company is flipping the switch on its state-wide electronics recycling program in Oregon. The next three months will represent a pilot phase, funded by Panasonic Corp. of North America, Sharp Electronics Corp., Toshiba America Consumer Products and CRT Processing, which is an e-waste recycling company that is set up to handle cathode ray tube glass (apparently a very unusual service for U.S. recycling companies to handle).

The official launch of the effort will be in January 2009 as Oregon flips the switch on a new law that requires certain vendors of computers, monitors, laptops and televisions to provide free and easy-to-use recycling programs for their technology starting that date. Financing for the Electronics Manufacturers Recycling Management Company initiative will come from 21 different electronics manufacturers. Here's a little more background on what this group is planning.

A similar program is already in operation in Minnesota; the group is developing services for Connecticut, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York City, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.