Wondering how you should get rid of your old, run-down, first generation iPod? How about a trip to Sidney, Montana (population 5,000), now home to one of the largest recycling programs of electronic waste in the country, thanks mostly to the hard-work and diligence of one federal employee.

Jackie Couture, a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), had been frustrated by the lack of any available electronic waste recycling program (dubbed e-recycling) or company in her area, or even her state, so she took matters into her own hands.  She began storing extra electronic material in an empty storeroom at the ARS office, just waiting until there came a time when an e-recycling program became available.

Despite the sound of it, electronic waste, or "e-waste," is not the spam or spyware floating around in your computer-though it can be as difficult to get rid of.  From computers to televisions, microwaves to cell phones, any piece of electronic equipment that is broken or irreparable is considered e-waste. 

Unlike food waste, e-waste is particularly harmful to the environment because of the amount of chemicals and substances it contains.  Making up only two percent of America's landfills, e-waste accounts for about 70 percent toxins in the landfill, including nervous system toxins like lead, mercury, and cadmium, and cancer-causing substances such as poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). 

In order to prevent harmful substances contained in e-waste from entering landfills and making their way into the environment and food chain through rain runoff, these electronics must be recycled. The recycling process breaks drown the waste into its separate chemicals, elements and parts, some of which can be reused, others must be disposed of safely. 

A major hurdle to e-waste recycling is that this process is very expensive, and while e-recycling programs are readily available in crowded metropolitan areas, they are not available in most of rural America.  As a result, electronics tend to get tossed out with the rest of the garbage, simply because there is typically no alternative...unless someone like Jackie Couture starts a program.

In early 2005, a co-worker of Couture's found the information of an e-recycling company based in Wyoming, and Couture jumped at the chance to work with them.  She formed partnerships with the town and local businesses to hold a formal event, where everybody could bring their old electronics to have them recycled safely and properly. 

Initially launched in June 2005, the event has become an annual occurrence, collecting over nine tons of material at the 2007 event.  The "e-rase your e-waste" event has grown every year since its inception and now attracts people from all over the state.  Held each year in the Agricultural Research Service parking lot, the program is such a hit that it been copied in other parts of the state.

When asked what was her motivation for the long-standing dedication to e-recycling, Ms. Couture answered simply: "Because it's the right thing to do."

E-waste is a little discussed environmental concern-a bill proposed by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) on the issue has been repeatedly shoved in a future to-do's draw. But in the age of electronics, where hundreds of millions of consumers perpetually purchase the newest gadget, cell phone, iPod, computer, or TV, the amount of e-waste is rapidly expanding. In the expanding pile of yesterday's technology lay toxins that threaten the public health of our communities.

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