Analysis: Fresno County Electronics Recycling Survey

In the winter of 2002, the County of Fresno conducted an e-waste recycling survey seeking to understand what activities were being conducted by municipalities around California. The results, as compiled by Fresno County staff, are posted here as part of the CIWMB's Product Stewardship Support Project. An Excel spreadsheet of the analysis is also available. (MS Excel, 121 KB).

In conducting the survey, forms were sent to over 250 California jurisdictions known to manage hazardous waste. The list of jurisdictions was acquired from a CIWMB database.

A total of 23 completed surveys were received:

• 17 respondents stated that they did have an e-waste program.
• 6 respondents stated that they did not have a program.
• 14 respondents stated that a contractor manages their e-waste program.
• 8 said that their program (or a part thereof) was managed internally.

The following contractors were mentioned: 

• ACCRC
• Waste Management (4)
• Philip Environmental (3)
• California Electronic Asset Recovery
• Gold'n West Salvage
• HMR Group
• Harrington Metal Recyclers, Inc. 
• Nortech
• Pleasant Hill Bayshore—Allied Waste Management
• Cal Sierra Disposal
• Safety Kleen
• MSE Environmental

Types of e-waste managed/accepted:

•  Small TVs (17)
•  Large TVs (17)
•  Projection TVs (9)
•  Console TVs (15)
•  Computer monitors (17)
•  CPUs (9)
•  Printers (8)
•  Scanners (8)
•  Fax machines (6)
•  Copier machines (4)
•  Stereo and audio equipment (6)
•  Small appliances (3)
•  Washers and dryers (4)
•  Stoves and ovens (4)
•  Microwave ovens (5)

Of the respondents, the City of Thousand Oaks and the County of Santa Barbara provided the broadest spectrum of e-waste management services, accepting all of the above listed materials; the City of Santa Maria was third in the variety of e-waste managed.

Places where e-waste is collected/managed:

• 10 operate a permanent facility.
• 1 conducts a mobile collection.
• None have door-to-door collection.
• 11 retrieve e-waste from landfills.
• 3 agencies direct e-waste owners to store item until program is available.
• 3 agencies collect e-waste from illegal dump sites.
• 5 agencies conduct temporary e-waste collection events.
• 4 respondents stated that they have curbside e-waste collection (e.g. cleanup days).
• 3 agencies conduct special e-waste events.
• 2 agencies do not accept e-waste and have no program in place (there is a discrepancy between the answer to this question and the answer to the question where 5 agencies stated that they had no program. However, in this case it might mean that private industry options are available in all but two jurisdictions).
• 4 agencies referred owners to other programs/agencies/private sector.

E-waste management techniques:

• In 7 jurisdictions useable parts are removed by contractor.
• In 7 jurisdictions repairable units are fixed by contractor.
• In 7 jurisdictions working units are salvaged (e.g. for donation) by contractor.
• In 11 jurisdictions e-waste is recycled (e.g. crushed, shredded) by contractor; one agency recycles e-waste in-house.
• 3 respondents stated they are storing e-waste until a program is established.
• In 10 jurisdictions the e-waste is shipped/taken away by contractors.
• 2 jurisdictions refer owners to other programs/private sector.

Charge to customers:

• 5 agencies provided services free of charge.
• In 3 jurisdictions the fee varies based on the size of items.
• In 6 jurisdictions the customers are charged a flat per-item fee.
• 2 agencies charged under $10 for disposal of e-waste.
• 2 agencies charge $15 per cathode ray tube (CRT).
• $35 is the highest fee charged to customers for disposal of e-waste.

Fee charged by contractor to the agency:

• 4 agencies are charged a per-unit fee (between $7 and $35).
• In 2 agencies the contractors charged directly to customers.
• 7 agencies are charged a per-pound fee—the prices varied between 25 and 36 cents per pound.
• 2 agencies were reimbursed by their contractors for useable parts.

E-waste collected in 2001:

• 5 agencies did not collect any CRTs in 2001.
• 5 agencies did not have data available.
• The lowest amount of e-waste was collected by the City of Winters and County of Amador (4,000 lbs.).
• The highest amount of e-waste was collected by the City of Thousand Oaks (400,000 lbs.) and the Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority (100,000 lbs.).
• The highest CRT-to-population ratio was recorded in the City of Thousand Oaks (3.3 lbs. per resident), Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority (0.66 lbs. per resident), and in the City of Winters (0.65 lbs. per resident).

Money spent on the program in 2001:

• The Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority spent the most on its e-waste program ($44,208).
• The Western Placer Waste Management Authority spent $28,500.
• Merced County Environmental Health Department Program was third most expensive at $24,000.
• Average e-waste program budget is $11,421.

Planned changes stated by respondents:

• If residents start abandoning CRTs, the city may step in to provide other means of disposal.
• Planning changes, although not sure about the extent.
• Looking for a cheaper contractor.
• After the next event we will determine the need for change.
• In spring 2002 we intend to launch a permanent program. It will include 3 permanent drop-off sites and the repair and upgrading of computers and monitors for donation to grade school children for use at home and nonprofit organizations.
• Hope to develop a comprehensive program in 2002 with Yolo County, 3 other cities in the county, and Waste Management.
• Develop a specific tipping fee within next few months. We are interested in what private industries develop in response to the e-waste issue.
• Modifications will be made as cost/diversion data becomes available.
• Desire to implement recycling program.
• Begin using the prison and hopefully lower the rates.
• Working to develop a program by March 2002.
• In the process of constructing a permanent household hazardous waste collection facility at our landfill which will provide additional storage; also planning "milk run" pick up of e-waste.
• Prisons will accept CRTs for recycling starting in 2002, at much cheaper cost.

Please direct all questions regarding the Fresno survey to Fresno County staff Leslie Kline (LKline@fresno.ca.gov).

Please direct all questions regarding the Product Stewardship Support Project to the project manager:

Edward Boisson, Principal
Boisson & Associates
P.O. Box 5248
Novato, CA 94948-5248
Phone: (415) 892-4648 
Fax: (916) 319-7202
Eboisson@att.net

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