Last updated April 12, 2019
The recycling of old cell phones and other forms of electrical waste is on the increase in Westport in Connecticut in the United States. Official figures show that local citizens are depositing more used cell phones and other electrical items at the town transfer station and recycling center, which is situated on Sherwood Island Connector, than ever before, with forty tons of electrical waste having been dropped off there for recycling since July last year, which evens out to almost four point seven tons each and every month. The waste center began accepting used cell phones and other electrical items for recycling three years ago back in 2008, although it did not become illegal to just dump such items in the trash until the January of this year.
The director of the Department of Public Works, Steve Edwards, says he is pleased by the figures but hopes that they are in fact due to increased public awareness of recycling and not a sign that people are throwing out more electrical goods earlier and earlier. “I would like to think that’s the major driving force,” he comments, but adds that “We’re starting to get flat screens already… That’s kind of disturbing.”
The Department of Environmental Protection in Connecticut says that e-waste is one of the areas of the overall trash stream that is growing faster than just about any other. From July, residents of Westport will be able to recycle more goods than ever without separation. “I’m looking forward to reinvigorating the recycling program,” Edwards says.