Congressman Lauds Corporate Recycling Partnership

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), the author of the nation's first federal E-Waste legislation, today applauded Hewlett Packard's decision to team with Office Depot to create the nation's first free E-Waste recycling program. Hewlett Packard announced today that customers would soon be able to drop off any brand of unwanted computer or electronics at any of Office Depot store. The temporary program will run until September 6, 2004. "Hewlett Packard has been a leader in the E-Waste recycling field for a number of years. Their partnership with Office Depot is going to create a new standard for recycling," Thompson said. "This program is part of the solution to a very real environmental problem." Thompson's legislation, the National Computer Recycling Act (H.R. 1165), would set up a grant program to encourage E-Waste recycling programs, in hopes of creating a permanent fix to the problem. Manufacturers are given incentives under the legislation to create their own programs. Hewlett Packard products would be exempt from any fees required under the legislation because of their innovative new recycling partnership with Office Depot. E-Waste solutions have been in high demand as the average life span of a PC has shrunk from five to two years and as more Americans are purchasing computers for the first time. Computers contain hazardous materials, including lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated-flame retardants and PVC plastics. Many discarded computers are currently shipped overseas to economically developing countries that do not have environmentally safe E-Waste recycling programs. # # #