At long last, electronics recycling in the U.S. is beginning to take off. In May 1999, only about 15 percent of used computers, TVs, VCRs, and the like were being recycled, but the figure may now be as high as 25 percent, says Peter Muscanelli, president of the International Association of Electronics Recyclers. Unlike in other countries, such as Japan, where electronics manufactures and retailers are required by law to recycle their products, consumers in the U.S. bear the burden of figuring out how to recycle electronic items. But state and local governments, as well as some companies, are launching collection programs to make the process easier.
