Since King County and the City of Seattle took the progressive step of banning many hazardous household electronics from the municipal garbage, more and more Seattleites are donating or recycling old cell phones, computers, TVs and other unwanted electronics.

This is a great habit, with the potential to keep multiple tons of lead and other electronic wastes out of landfills. But you may be surprised to learn that not all facilities that offer to collect and recycle or reuse your electronics are providing a sustainable solution.

"Most of the so-called computer recyclers out there do not recycle your old computer, but instead export it to developing countries such as China, India, Pakistan or Nigeria," says Jim Puckett of the Seattle-based Basel Action Network, a nonprofit focused on ending this toxic trade. "The material gets processed in primitive dangerous operations involving cooking of circuit boards, burning of wires and plastic housings, dangerous acid bathing and just plain open dumping."

According to Puckett, thousands of recyclers and brokers increase their profits by avoiding the real costs of safe recycling at home, and the United States government does not control or prohibit e-waste exports.

Seattle residents can take action against these despicable practices by using the Take It Back Network to find a place to drop used electronics. Member businesses and organizations have signed an agreement to handle all materials domestically or in other developed countries. Basel Action Network also offers its own list of approved recyclers. 

Recycling responsibly does carry a cost, so be prepared to pay for recycling some larger items (around $5-$15 for computers and monitors; $20 for televisions). But the charge is temporary: The Electronic Waste Recycling Bill passed by Washington state in 2006 aims to have electronics manufacturers shoulder the cost of e-waste recycling by 2009.

Now that's what we call responsible.

Learn more about the Basel Action Network and the global issue of toxic electronic waste dumping here.