Some manufacturers and retailers are beginning to take responsibility for helping to minimize the environmental impact of the products they sell by accepting them back from the consumer at the end of their life cycle. This is called Product Stewardship or Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Product Stewardship helps to remove some of the burden of managing U-waste from the local government.
What You Can Do:
Before you bring your depleted batteries and fluorescent tubes or bulbs to the landfill or a transfer station, check to see if a local hardware store will take them back. A fee is included in the purchase price of new TVs, so bring your old one back to the store when you buy a new one. Many retailers who sell printer cartridges will take your used ones back. Ask before you buy.
Leading the nation and the state in the effort to make manufacturers responsible for the full life cycle of their products are the Product Stewardship Institute and the California Product Stewardship Council. Be sure to check out their websites to learn about the important legislation they have helped to pass and are currently working on.