commentary

What Were They Thinking?!

On February 8, 2006, a new regulation took effect in California which prohibits disposing of so-called "Universal Waste" in the trash or landfill. Universal Waste is defined as waste which can harm human health or the environment if disposed of improperly. This includes consumer batteries, electronic waste such as computers, calculators, telephones (???), and mercury-containing wastes (fluorescent tubes and thermostats). It probably includes smoke alarms, too, but, they aren't mentioned.

Calling this stuff "Universal Waste" (as opposed to, say, "Hazardous Household Waste", for instance) is weird and not particularly accurate — who thought up that name? Still, it's a good idea not to throw this stuff in the landfill or put it out with the trash.

That's the good news. The bad news is the way our local municipality has reacted to the new regulation.

Due to the new regulation, Universal Waste (except for household batteries) will no longer be picked up "at the curb" in the twice-annual cleanup program, special pickups, or debris boxes.

Oh, great. So, how do we dispose of it?

However, you can drop off Universal Waste at the Garbage Company Transfer Station, Tuesdays & Thursdays between 10 am and noon (by appointment only) or Saturdays between 8 am and 3 pm, no appointment required.

Televisions and computer monitors are subject to a recycling fee. However, at this time, there is no charge for residents to drop off the other Universal Waste items.

So, let me see if I've got that straight. It's now both inconvenient and potentially costly to dispose of this stuff appropriately. Did I get that right?

But wait, there's more. One small light in the tunnel.

Household Battery Collection - residents can place household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, camera, and watch) in a special "battery bag" or clear plastic bag and set on top of recycling container for collection by Garbage Company.

But not cellphone batteries? Well, at least "regular" batteries are still relatively easy to dispose of properly.

[Aside: I worked at a company in a local office park in this same municipality for over a year. The building management handled pickup of trash and recyclables. They did not handle battery recycling and disposal. I ended up collecting the batteries myself and taking them home to put out on trash day. Any guess how many AA and AAA batteries a 300-person tech company generates in a month or two?? The answer is measured in pounds.]

If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm going to rant for a bit now.

What Were They Thinking?!

Rich and I like to go for walks. We also drive around town. Rich, in particular, has an eagle eye for litter. There is already more trash just dumped by the roadside than there has any right to be. Not only paper cups, plastic bags, and bottles, but bigger stuff. Once, we ran across a refrigerator. Another time, we saw a computer monitor, just sitting on a sidewalk, a few inches back from the curb.

Guess what: When it is difficult, inconvenient, and/or expensive to do things the Right Way, some number of people will decide to do things the convenient, expedient, or cheap way. So, back when it just took a phone call for a special pickup, or a recommendation to wait until one of the two annual "clean out" days, many people probably picked up the phone or waited.

But now, when they have to find some place to drive to, on a Saturday, or make a special appointment before lunch on a Tuesday, which way do you think some people's thoughts will turn? Maybe they'll just toss that old calculator into the trash. At the bottom of a bag of potato peelings, who will ever know? Or dump that old computer monitor or TV into the dumpster behind the apartment complex down the street.

This new California regulation is a step in the right direction. The appropriate response from the local municipalities should be to expand curbside recycling to include all so-called "Universal Waste" as well as household batteries.

Make it easier for residents to do The Right Thing. Recycle "at the curb".

Rant over...