Carbon Footprint

Alasdair Meldrum asked:




Recycling is the reprocessing of materials that would otherwise become waste in order to make them into new products. This is in contrast with reuse: collecting waste such as food containers to be cleaned, refilled and resold. Recycling prevents waste being landfilled or incinerated, reduces the consumption of new raw materials, and is advocated by supporters to require less energy than virgin production Commonly recycled materials include glass, paper, aluminium, asphalt, steel, textiles and plastic. These materials can be derived either from pre-consumer waste (materials used in manufacturing) or post-consumer waste (materials discarded by the consumer). Recycling is a key concept of modern waste management and is the third component of the waste hierarchy. To be recycled waste has to be sorted and separated. Waste sorting can be done by the waste producer, at kerbside collection sites, or at a materials recovery facility. In everyday speech the word recycling often refers to the practice of waste sorting done by consumers.

One of the main benefits of recycling comes from reducing the amount of new material required. In theory, recycling allows a material to be continually reused for the same purpose, and in many cases this theory holds true, most notably in the recycling of metals and glass.

Since less raw material is required, recycling creates further benefits for materials where cost of the initial extraction or production is high—either economically, socially or environmentally. The recycling of aluminium, for example, saves 95% of the CO2 emissions—an environmentally harmful greenhouse gas—compared to refining new metal.

Concerns about limited resources such as raw materials and land space for disposal of waste have increased the importance of recycling. However maximum environmental benefit is gained by reducing the amount of waste produced, and reusing items in their current form, for example refilling bottles. All recycling techniques consume energy, for transportation and processing, and some also use considerable amounts of water. Both of these resources have an environmental impact which is why campaigners use the slogan Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to indicate the preferred order for waste management in the waste hierarchy.

Terese Hartjoy asked:




By Terese Hartjoy

If you think that the recycling number embossed on the bottom of your plastics is the solution to the plastic problem, think again. Of the seven types of plastic that are stamped as “recyclable” only two are easily and efficiently recycled. Plastics are labeled with numbers 1 through 7.

Number 1 is pretty easy to recycle: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE). It is often clear, relatively lightweight (or thinner) and is used in:

Mouthwash containers Soda bottles Salad dressing containers Plastic food jars Water bottles

Number 2, also easy to recycle, is High density polyethylene (HDPE), is used in heavier containers like:

Milk jugs Snack food containers Laundry detergent containers Shampoo bottles Detergent bottles

Numbers 3 though 7 are where we run into problems. If you havve tried to take any of these to your local recycling center you may have wondered why they won’t take them. These plastics are difficult to recycle.

Number 3 - Polyvinyl chloride (V or Vinyl PVC),used to make:

Shower curtains Cooking oil bottles Pipe and Pipe fittings Medical tubing

Number 4 - Low density polyethylene (LDPE), often colored, is used to make:

Sandwich, storage and “zipper” bags Grocery and vegetable/meat bags Plastic wrapping paper Squeezable ketchup and mustard bottles

Number 5 - Polypropylene (PP), also often colored, is used for:

Tubs of butter, cookie dough, whipped topping Tupperware containers Yogurt and gelatin containers Pancake and chocolate syrup bottles

Number 6 - Polystyrene (PS), is used in:

“To - Go” food containers Egg cartons Disposable cups, bowls and plates Styrofoam containers Packing peanuts

Number 7 - Which includes a miscellany of all other plastics, which include:

Fast food beverage containers Baby bottles Cell phones CDs Electronics casings Sports water bottles

Did you know that:

It takes 24 million gallons of oil to make a billion plastic bottles 38 million plastic bottles in America end up in the land fills from bottled water alone Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting

The plastic problem has no simple solution, but there are ways that the consumer can help.

Precycle:

This is the practice of considering your packaging before you buy. Make sure your plastic is number 1 or 2 before buying. If it isn’t, consider a different product choice.

Reuse & Repurpose:

If you must use plastic, find creative ways to reuse and repurpose it. There is a wealth of information on this topic available on the Internet.

Always recycle.

John Webster asked:




Large amounts of Cardboard and Plastic Waste are found in all areas of industry. All businesses have a duty to dispose of their waste in the most environmentally friendly way. There have been lots of changes relating to the subject of waste in recent years. Major changes have occurred because of new Legislation, not only in UK, but also Europe and the whole world. Everyone is trying to help the planet and the environment and the consequence of this can be rewarding.

The most notable Legislation gives the responsibility of all businesses to take action to Sort, Segregate, Reuse and Recycle more. Each business must demonstrate that they are doing this effectively. All businesses producing waste must Sort their waste. In other words, removing items which can be used again. These reusable items must be segregated or separated and removed from waste, which would otherwise be sent to landfill. The reusable waste must be stored in some manor and eventually transported to a place where it can be returned to a reusable state.

In the past, bins and other containers of various sizes have been the most common way of removing waste. Historically, all waste was collected in one big container or bin. It would all be compacted and transported to landfill.

Nowadays, there is a residual value of recyclable materials, such as cardboard, plastics, paper, polypropylene, metals and many more. So they can be removed from a businesses general waste stream and sorted for recycling.

This meant that less general waste is going to landfill. The first way of collecting these recyclable wastes was to give them each different containers.

For example, a bin specifically identified for Cardboard. It would have a sign saying, “Cardboard Only”. This is not the greenest way to recycle cardboard or any other material. Transporting loose cardboard or plastic in this state means there must be many collection vehicles constantly on the road. These thousands of lorries transporting cardboard and plastics, produced lots of pollution and were required much more frequently than the preferred solution.

As a result of the changing world and technology, there has been an advent of the Waste Baler. This Recycling Machinery first started typically as a Vertical Baler. The Vertical Baler is basically a steel container, with a top door and a bottom door. The top door is for loading the Cardboard, Plastic or other Waste material into the Baler. The bottom door is for removing the finished bale. There is a Pressing-Plate which is forced down onto the Waste.

This really compacts the waste and a lot of waste can be forced into a bale under immense pressure. The smaller Recycling Balers Compactors may use a pressing-force of 2 to 5 tons.

The result of compacting the recyclable waste material in a Baler has created many benefits. Because the waste is very compact, in a tied stackable form or shape, it can be stored. The need for transportation will be greatly reduced.

So there will be much less pollution on the roads. The waste is being recycled efficiently, so less waste will go to landfill. Businesses will pay less landfill-tax. The removal of bales is usually free of charge and sometimes a business can even gain some revenue. The cost of having a Waste Baler is usually much cheaper than having bins emptied.

Businesses producing larger volumes of recyclable waste have found it beneficial to use larger Recycling Machinery or Equipment, commonly known as a Mill Size Baler. This Baler Equipment is much larger and stronger. The pressing-force can be up to 50 Tonnes in the case of a good Mill Size Baler.

The main use of a Mill Size Baler is for Recycling Cardboard. This Waste Baler will typically produce Cardboard Bales in the region of 500Kg.

Collectors of Waste will know that Mill Size Bales are worth approximately 20% more than smaller bales. This is because the smaller bales have to be re-baled in a Mill Size Baler, before transportation to recycling plants further away. If a business produces bales in a Mill Size Baler, he can usually have them collected free and should also receive a payment for large tonnage amounts.

Deciding on the correct Baler Equipment for your business, should be left to the people in the know. It’s best to take advice from people who really know their machinery. You often imagine you need a larger baler and sometimes a smaller cheaper baler will be quite sufficient.

One company which will always give you the Soundest Advice and in your best interest is http://www.strongrecyclingbalers.co.uk They will give all their customers a Free Trial of any Baler Equipment they recommend.

John Webster asked:




The best and most efficient way to recycle cardboard is by using a cardboard baler. If you regularly have a large volume of cardboard waste, it is probably already sorted or segregated. You probably already put it into a cardboard container marked for “cardboard only”. This is a start, but there is much more you can do to improve your “carbon footprint” and save yourself money in the long-term.

If you have a brand new baler, it is likely to have the most modern design and will last you for many years. The cost of having your baler should normally be less than you are paying for your bins. In other words, you should pay less weekly for having a baler, than you pay for renting your bins and having them emptied. Now you can use your baler as a cardboard bin.

Because of the compaction ratio, you can really store a lot more cardboard in your baler. You just open the baler door, insert the cardboard, close the door, press the start button and walk away. The best balers are fully automated and will complete the whole baling cycle for you.

When you have made a bale, which will take a lot longer than you probably imagine, the bales can be left outside in all weather. If the bale is tightly compacted then the weather won’t normally be a problem. This is also a lot safer than loose cardboard in your bins. Tight bales of cardboard have no oxygen inside and are considered less of a fire hazard.

A Good Supplier of Baler Machinery will normally introduce you to a local collector in your area. The bales will then be collected (usually free of charge). If you have a large number of Mill Size Cardboard Bales, it may be possible to arrange free collection and also for you to receive a very good revenue per ton. Normally, anything smaller than mill size bales, will just entitle you to free collections. In some areas of the country, you may have a local Recycling Plant nearby, where you can take your bales and possibly receive small revenues yourself. TIP: Always ask your baler supplier if they can genuinely arrange this for you.

Because you are having your cardboard greatly compacted, this means you will have it collected much less often. As an example, where you previously had two 1100 litre wheelie bins collected weekly, you may just have 3 to 4 small bales collected every month, free of charge. This means you are helping reduce the amount of gas-guzzling dustbin lorries on the road. This also helps to reduce your carbon footprint even further.

If you want to have the best advice for your specific needs then have a look at www.strongrecyclingbalers.co.uk .They will provide you with all the relevant information and answer all your questions. The advice they give, is in your best interest, completely free and without obligation. They will visit your Site, give a Free Survey and then advise on the correct equipment for you. If you want a baler, they will make the whole process very simple.

Jeremy Stanfords asked:




The current economy is making nearly everyone re-evaluate their expenditures and look for ways to improve their bottom line. Profit margins are tighter than ever and every step in the right direction makes a difference. Many businesses may be surprised to learn that they can improve their bottom line with single stream recycling containers.

Single stream recycling refers to the most convenient recycling method available today: everything that is recyclable goes into the same recycling bin and is picked up and processed by a service provider. Recycling bins come in a variety of sizes and shapes and they can be customized to match your company’s decor while reducing your trash expense and limiting the amount of material disposed of in landfills.

Garbage Is Expensive

Every business owner knows that garbage collection and disposal can become prohibitively expensive. Until recent years, there were no other options except to rent a dumpster and pay a garbage service for the removal of your trash. The environmental movement of the 1970s and the realization that landfill space is limited and that toxins seeping into the soil are less than desirable has lead to a boom in the recycling industry.

Business owners can take advantage of these new resource management options through the use of single stream recycling bins. Recycling programs cut your monthly trash expense significantly. Instead of paying to have recyclable materials thrown into landfills, business owners can install recycling containers within their facilities that will cut their garbage expenses significantly, improving their bottom line.

Turn The Tables On Trash

This shift in resource management has resulted in substantial savings for many businesses already. Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle found that they reduced their garbage expense by $170,000 in the first year after installing recycling containers and implementing a recycling program. They also reduced their contributions to local landfills by 80%. Those numbers are significant for any business and the recycling program at Virginia Mason Hospital will only become more efficient and productive as patients and employees become more familiar with the new recycling containers and the program.

Garbage can turn from a liability to an asset with the simple implementation of single stream recycling containers in only a matter of days for businesses of all sizes. Single stream recycling companies are able to provide individual assessments of the contents of your current garbage flow to provide reliable predictions on the expected outcome of implementing such a program and installing recycling containers throughout your facility.

Convenience And Service

Single stream recycling containers incur far greater participation rates than item-by-item recycling bins, simply by being so convenient. Participants do not need to sort anything. Paper, plastic, and metal all go into the same recycling bin; the materials are then sorted at the processing plant. This added convenience and individualized service go a long way to reduce the garbage expense paid by your business each month.

Reduced garbage expenses and improved goodwill from your customers for being environmentally responsible will both go a long way to improve your company’s bottom line and the overall health of our planet.

Ronnie Tanner asked:




Recycling automobiles is big business in the state of Michigan. Quite appropriate when you think of how much money has been made in manufacturing automobiles in this state. Not only is the automobile recycling business profitable, it turns out to be a necessity as well. Once a car has reached the end of its usefulness on the road, what is the process it goes through to be recycled and why is the recycling process so important? That’s what this article is about.

First, let us look at how an automobile ends up at auto recycling facility. This may occur several ways. An automobile may be involved in some type of collision and the insurance company may determine that the amount of money to repair the vehicle exceeds its value. In this scenario, once the owner has been compensated for the loss of the automobile, the insurance company takes possession of it. In order to recover some of the money they lost on the claim, the insurance company then sells the now salvage vehicle to an automobile recycling facility. Another way for an automobile to wind up at a recycling facility is for the owner to decide that the vehicle has out lived its usefulness, if the vehicle needs repairs that are again more costly than the worth of the vehicle then the individual can also sell it to an auto recycler. Some automobiles are simply abandoned by the owner on vacant lots or along the side of the road, in this case, the city may impound the vehicle and if it is not claimed then the automobile goes to an auto recycling facility. In this way, automobile recyclers provide a valuable service to the communities they serve. Instead of ugly eyesores that choke up empty fields and clog roadways, these vehicles are taking apart and the steel is recycled into new vehicles.

Once the automobile reaches the recycling facility it is drained of hazardous fluids and any dangerous materials are removed. It is then accessed for all the parts that are still in good working order. Once these parts have been removed, the remained of the vehicle is then flattened for removal to a scrap metal recycler. The shredder facility in turn prepares the metal for deliver to a furnace that melts it down so that it can be recycled into a new car or vehicle.

The Automotive Recyclers of Michigan reports that in Michigan and around the country, auto recyclers have acquired 4.7 million vehicles for the purpose of recycling. That is enough metal to create 13 million new cars and trucks. Talk about going green, auto recyclers in the state of Michigan were going green before the saying even existed.

It is clear these days that the automotive recyclers around Michigan are playing a vital role in making sure that our children and grandchildren have something more than just a landfill to inherent. Michigan automotive recyclers are hard at work protecting the environment and supporting responsible recycling.

 

viedy asked:


April 29, Northeast Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. welcome a group of special guests?? Organized by the Ministry of Science, “Standardization of circular economy demonstration projects” experts, the company standardized circular economy demonstration projects phase investigation and inspection. Projects take one of the units?? Shenyang Institute of Standards Senior Engineer Wang Lei said: “For the pharmaceutical industry, changing the traditional high consumption, high pollution and low efficiency model of economic growth, the development of a standardized system to support work to low consumption, low emission, high efficiency, saving resources for the purpose of recycling economy road new cleaner production is imminent. “

China Pharmaceutical Industry Association, vice president of Pan Guangcheng stress, speed up the transformation of economic development, adjust and optimize the economic structure, it is necessary to develop circular economy, promoting energy efficient technology.

Two-way requirements “From businesses, developing circular economy is to achieve sustainable development requirements.” Pharmaceutical Group, the Director of recycling economy, said Liu Guofeng, on the one hand, the pharmaceutical industry is “saving lives” in the industry, if not actively change the “harmful emissions” of the state, business and industry will be affected; the other hand, developing circular economy to reduce the production cost of raw materials and pollution control costs. “Developing circular economy needs to become dynamic enterprises.”

To a large pharmaceutical company, for example, the company’s 200,000 tons of standard coal each year, producing 200,000 tons of raw materials, mining 10 million tons of water, its API is more than 30 thousand tons annual production. “200,000 tons of raw materials to produce only 30,000 tons bulk drugs, after the reaction step by step, more than most of the rest of ‘waste’ the form of emissions.” Liu Guofeng said.

Environmental protection, according to the China Pharmaceutical Group, Wang Yongjun, at present the domestic pharmaceutical industry will have more than 100 tons per year wet mycelium per ton treatment cost more than 1,000 yuan, according to the national strict norms to deal with these hyphae to the industry a great deal of cost pressure. Quality and safety of China Pharmaceutical Group Dissenting Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, said consumption of bulk drug manufacturing industry is relatively high, relatively pollution-intensive sectors of energy supply and pollution control will become the bottleneck. Therefore, a reasonable set industry chain, to achieve energy efficiency through technological progress, saving, emission reduction, the development of circular economy is the sustainable development of bulk drug industry, the inevitable.

“Circular economy fundamentally deconstructed between environment and development has long been the sharp conflict, its purpose is ‘to maximize resource utilization, minimize environmental pollution’.” Xinhua Pharmaceutical vice president of Du Deqing that, in the face Today, energy, resources and environmental degradation continue to reduce the crisis, the pharmaceutical industry is only through increased resources, energy efficiency, to achieve circular economy in order to reduce the pressure of environmental pollution and improve industry competitiveness, and achieve healthy, rapid, and sustainable development.

Good start “The pharmaceutical industry the two products?? Antibiotics, vitamins, most of the fermentation product, energy consumption, water consumption, consumption of grain is relatively large. Pharmaceuticals is second only to food, feed, brewery industry, large consumption of food industry , chemical raw materials consumed more synthetic drugs. Therefore, energy saving, water saving, saving food, save the pharmaceutical industry, chemical raw materials an important part of the development of recycling economy. “Panguang Cheng said, is why large-scale recycling economy in the domestic pharmaceutical enterprises engaged in full swing.

Million decline in value of 33.53% power consumption, power output decreased 24.43% 10,000 yuan, 10,000 yuan output value of 28.59% decline in gas consumption, water production value decreased 63.56%; COD emissions dropped by 19.18%, decrease ammonia emissions of 18.16%, sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 41.56% … … This is a group from the Xinhua Pharmaceutical data, now, the company has completed ahead of schedule and over-the Government issued a “five” emission reduction targets. Dude Qing told reporters that the company’s performance due to the implementation of circular economy. “Waste is a misplaced resource.” Circular economy under the “3R” principles, namely reduction (Reduce), recycling (Recycle), re-use

Guna seelan asked:




Due to the growing need for plastic bags and containers in places such as grocery stores and retail stores, plastic is now one of the most used materials in today’s society. When it comes to an increase in soil and water pollution, plastic waste is the largest contributor. While recycling may seem like an easy task to most it is not recycled nearly as much as it should. Plastic recycling is the act of parting waste plastics and used scrap to recover materials that are usable for the manufacturing industry. Plastic contains many fibers due to its large amount of layered chemical structures and resins that have been melted down to get the smooth surface as you can see on grocery bags.

Recycling plastic is far more difficult than steel or paper. Many challenges await the plastic recycling industry when doing these procedures. The main principle that should be followed before is that there are a variety of plastics which cannot be interbred before recycling. To identify plastics of different resin composition and polymer structures they use standard codes which contain several dyes, additives, and fillers. This is what makes the recycling of plastic not so easy.

By using an elaborate monomer process where the polymer undergoes an inverted polymer regression of what was used to produce it, the obstacles of recycling can be achieved. At the end of the procedure you get a chemical makeup that forms the initial polymer, then is further synthesized and purified to create a renewed polymer of the same type. An additional resolution to this problem is that the use of thermal de-polymerization process, which basically converts diverse polymers into petroleum. Any kind of polymer may be mixed during this procedure.

Plastic recycling is useful for recycling many types of plastic containers, grocery bags, sacks, and even toys that contain certain plastics. Some of the more common recycled plastics are juice, milk, and water bottles.

RD Warren asked:




If you are looking for a good way to raise your school some extra money you should take a look at recycling programs. Schools use tons of materials that can be redeemed for cash through recycling programs dedicated for schools and other non-profit organizations. So what can you recycle at your school? An average size school will generate thousands of aluminum cans each month that can be recycled. This is one item that all schools should begin recycling if they are not already. Another highly used product in schools is simply all the paper that is used. Does your school already have separate containers to dispose of paper in instead of using the trash can? If your school is not currently already recycling their paper then this is yet another high volume product that schools are using every day that could be put to use in a recycling program for your school. It is true that many schools are already recycling their aluminum cans and paper products, so what else can a school do in terms of recycling as a fund raiser?

One common product that many schools do not currently recycle that they should be recycling are their ink cartridges - another item that is widely used in all schools. There are a few recycling programs that are specifically dedicated to recycling ink cartridges for schools and other non-profit companies to make sure that you get a fair rate for all the ink cartridges you collect in your fund raiser. When researching what program would be best for your school to use, it is important to research what ink cartridges are accepted by the company you are researching. Some programs have a very limited list of cartridges that they will pay you for, while others may accept almost any type of ink cartridge that your school is using. So if you are looking for a great recycling fund raiser for your school an ink cartridge recycling program is a great solution. The fund raiser would not only be limited to the ink cartridges that the school uses, but also those that students collect at home and bring in to school. Believe it or not, an ink cartridge recycling program can generate a large sum of money for a school if executed correctly.

You may be asking how to properly execute a program such as an ink cartridge recycling fund raiser. The answer to your question will actually come from the company you decide to do your fund raiser through. Many of these programs want to help you meet your goals and will provide you with promotional materials to promote your recycling efforts. Promotional materials such as flyers, posters, drop off signs, and more can be provided for your school to use in order to achieve fund raising goals. Placing the promotional materials around the school and making announcements about the program will help you kick start your program and help you achieve success.

Recycling fund raisers do not stop at aluminum cans, paper, and ink cartridges. There are numerous other programs related to recycling that your school could use to help earn more money. Another popular recycling item is electronics - more specifically used cell phones. What did you do with your old cell phone? I know numerous people who have simply tossed their old cell phones to the garbage can. Instead of tossing your used cell phones to the trash why not earn some money from them? When a school runs a recycling program to collect old cell phones it is surprising just how many are often times collected as many people have numerous old cell phones just laying around the house. Once you have collected a good amount of phones your school can then redeem them for cash! This is yet another great fund raising activity that a school can take advantage of.

So - if your school is looking for a good fund raiser then you should mention a recycling drive to them. One fund raising recycling drive could involve all of the items I mentioned above and can honestly raise large sums of cash. Many schools now run ink cartridge and cell phone recycling programs all year and simply redeem the collections for cash once they have collected enough worthy of redeeming. Just think how many ink cartridge and even cell phones people go through on a year to year basis! Your school or non profit organization could be cashing in on these items instead of them being tossed in the trash or put on a shelf to not ever be used again. So the bottom line is that you need to find a good recycling program for your school to join. Once you have found a reputable program to join you can begin promoting the fund raiser throughout the school and begin collecting the items you will be recycling. This type of fund raiser is very effective at schools because most people are more than willing to donate old ink cartridge and cell phones simply because they have no other use for them.

hemanth asked:




Introduction

Modern life is full of electronic gadgets. Cell phones, digital cameras, camcorders, MP3 players, computers, laptops, monitors and more are common in all modern households. These modern electronic devices provide entertainment and help us in many ways. The problem with them is that they wear out or become them.

Throwing electronic devices is not a solution .According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 200 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) ends up in landfills every year. The problem with this is that many consumer electronic items contain harmful materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium etc. These materials can pollute the land, water, and air.

Some items, such as computers and computer monitors, are banned from landfills and curbside trash pickup. In some states and municipalities, it is illegal to simply throw away such items. So the challenge is twofold, how to dispose of properly to comply with applicable laws, or how to dispose of properly because it is the environmentally responsible thing to do .

Recycling electronic gadgets

Most people are familiar with the recycling of cans, glass, paper, and plastic. They either take it to designated recycling centers at their landfill, or transfer station. When it comes to recycling the electronic gadgets, the task becomes significantly more difficult. Unlike cans, paper, plastic, and glass, there is typically not curbside recycling for electronic devices. You also typically cannot simply take such items and leave them at the landfill or transfer station. Thus, recycling our gadgets requires some thought and effort. It is important to know your recycling options for common electronic items.

Reuse Electronic Devices through Donation

An excellent option for electronic gadgets that are still in working order is to donate them to someone who can make use of them. Many schools and community groups are happy to receive working electronic items. Schools, for example, often are very appreciative to receive donated computers, peripherals, and monitors. There are even tax incentives built into the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 for companies to donate such items to schools. Cell phones are another item that many community organizations love to receive in donation. In addition, there are national organizations that will accept donations of electronic items. Some organizations that accept donations include: EIA Computers for Schools Another Byte Inc The Wireless Foundation The 911 Cell Phone Bank

Recycling Unwanted Electronic Gadgets

If reuse through donation is not an option there are numerous programs for recycling unwanted electronic items. Many municipalities will have special days at their landfill or transfer station where these items will be accepted for recycling. There may be a fee associated with these programs.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell we can say that all the electronic wastes may be recycled .Any individual & corporate can take initiative for recycling the e-waste so that productivity is improved taking environmental factors into consideration. Major manufactures of electronic items will accept them for recycling including Acer, Apple, Dell, Epson, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo/IBM, Panasonic, Sony, and Toshiba. Many major retailers also have recycling programs including Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, and Staples. For cellular phones, many cell phone manufacturers, and all of the major wireless companies provide recycling programs for cell phones.