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State ban against electronic waste disposal takes effect(North County Times (Escondido, CA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Feb. 13--NORTH COUNTY ---- Area residents may want to think twice about tossing out those old batteries, computers, cell phones and shoes with lighted soles. On Thursday, a state regulation took effect making it illegal to dispose of those and other items with regular trash. The regulation covers a long list of common household items deemed hazardous because they contain such toxic chemicals as mercury, lead, acid, zinc and cadmium, which can contaminate ground water, state officials said. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the items must be recycled or disposed of in a manner prescribed by the state. For most people, the change will come as a big surprise, said Hans Kernkamp, general manager of the Riverside County Waste Management Department. "People don't realize that this encompasses so many materials," Kernkamp said. "Basically, anything that plugs into a wall or has batteries is subject to this rule." But despite the "growing pains" the program is bound to have, said Wayne Williams, San Diego County's recycling coordinator, "it will be great to get this toxic material out of the landfills." The list of items that require special treatment includes: - Batteries, including AA, AAA, C cells, D cells and button batteries such as those in hearing aids. - Fluorescent light bulbs and lamps. - Thermostats and thermometers. - Novelty items that contain mercury, including greeting cards that play music, shoes with lighted soles and certain types of maze games. - Electronic devices, including computers, television sets, cell phones, regular telephones, pagers, printers, radios and microwave ovens. - Pilot light sensors, electric switches, barometers, blood pressure devices, stoves, ovens, water heaters, space heaters and clothes dryers, which typically use mercury switches. Residents can take items to several household hazardous-waste disposal sites that have been set up in North San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties. Waste management officials suggest residents go to www.earth911.org to find sites in their communities. "They can punch in the zip code and find the facility nearest them," said KariLyn Merlos, environmental health specialist for San Diego County. North San Diego County residents also may call (760) 839-4818 for information about a site in Escondido, (760) 453-5015 for information about Oceanside, (800)444-4244 for information about Vista and Poway, and (877) 713-2784 for information about unincorporated areas. In Southwest Riverside County, there are household hazardous waste collection centers in Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake. Residents are encouraged to call (951) 358-5256 or (800) 304-2226 for information. Meanwhile, a pair of new laws authored by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Los Angeles, will require retailers that sell rechargeable batteries to begin accepting used rechargeable batteries dropped off by consumers on July 1. Also on that date, cell-phone retailers will have to begin accepting old cell phones. Other general information can be obtained by going to www.zerowaste.ca.gov or www.dtsc.ca.gov. Information on recycling batteries can be obtained at www.rbrc.org/consumer/uslocate.html. For information on cell phone recycling, go to www.keepcaliforniabeautiful.com/cellrecyc.html or www.collectivegood.com. |