[Statewide_MWS] ADEQ Urges Owners to Recycle Old Analog TV Sets as Transition to Digital Approaches on June 12

[Candice Rupprecht]

PHOENIX (June 8, 2009) ­ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
officials are urging all owners of old analog television sets to recycle
them rather than tossing them in the trash as the June 12 deadline to
digital TV rapidly approaches.
 
Thousands of old TV sets from throughout the state are expected to be
discarded after the transition from analog to all-digital TV. People with
analog TVs must connect to a digital converter box or a subscription service
such as cable or satellite TV to get reception after June 12.
 
Discarded televisions present environmental and health hazards and may be
considered hazardous waste. Each cathode ray picture tube releases an
estimated three to eight pounds of lead into the environment and TVs also
contain other toxins like mercury and cadmium. If not properly disposed of,
discarded televisions can contaminate the air, soil and groundwater.
 
³Recycling old televisions is a must given our limited landfill storage
space and the dangerous toxins that discarded TVs release into the
environment. On top of that, recycling is just the right thing to do,² said
ADEQ Acting Director Patrick J. Cunningham.
 
To find electronic waste recyclers in your area, Visit
http://www.azrecycles.gov/ and enter your zip code. Another website that
offers this service is the Electronic Industries Alliance
http://www.eia.org/ which provides a list of state-by-state e-cycling
resources.
 
 
³News media interested in additional information on this or any other topic
concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should contact
the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications at azdeq.gov.²
 
 

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