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Support Product Stewardship in Your Community

Radio Ads Available to Promote E-Cycle Washington

Several radio advertisments have been produced to promote the E-Cycle Washington program. These ads can be customized for use by local governments in Washington who want to place them as Public Service Announcements (PSAs) or paid advertisments on their local radio stations. Listen to one version of the advertisment featuring the Director of Environmental Sustainability at Hewlett Packard, one of the electronics manufacturers who are paying for the E-Cycle Washington program. Contact Katherine Diers at kdiers@prrbiz.com for more information about the radio ads.

Learn More: What is product stewardship?

Product stewardship means whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes responsibility for minimizing the product´s environmental impact throughout all stages of the products´ life cycle. In most cases, manufacturers have the greatest ability, and therefore the greatest responsibility, to reduce the environmental impact of their products. When manufacturers are responsible for their products, they are motivated to design less toxic and more recyclable products. This also shifts the cost of handling product waste from local governments and rate-payers to manufacturers.

• Join the NWPSC Community and receive monthly updates about product stewardship in the Northwest.
• Learn more about product stewardship and definitions for key terms.
• Find fact sheets, reports, and links on product stewardship and specific product categories in the NWPSC Library.
• Watch a virtual tour of British Columbia's successful product stewardship programs.

Ask Retailers and Manufacturers If They Take Back and Recycle Their Products

All products are designed with the consumer in mind. You make the choice between competing products. Your buying power can help drive the choices of retailers and manufacturers to make less toxic and easier to recycle products. Make your voice heard:

• Before you buy a product, do your homework. Find out which manufacturers and retailers will take back and recycle their products. You can also learn more about a manufacturer's commitment to the environment by visiting their company website.
• When you by a new product, like a cell phone, ask the sales person if the manufacturer or the store will take back and recycle the product when you no longer need it.
• If you're buying a product to replace one, ask the sales person if their business will recycle your old one.
• Send an email or letter to manufacturers who make the products you buy and let them know you would like them to offer a take back program.

Return Unwanted Products Through Take Back Programs

If your item is no longer usable, responsibly recycle and dispose of it through take back programs offered by manufacturers, retailers, businesses and non-profits.

Medicines and pharmaceuticals:

• Return unwanted medicine through the Medicine Return program in King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane and Thurston Counties.
• If there is no location near you, learn how to best dispose of pharmaceuticals.

Electronics:

• Return electronics to retailers and manufacturers throughout the US.
• Recycle electronics responsibly through the Take it Back Network in King, Pierce, Yakima and Snohomish counties and the City of Tacoma.
• Recycle TVs, computers and monitors through E-Cycle Washington and Oregon E-Cycles.

Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes:

• Recycle fluorescent bulbs and tubes responsibly through the King County Take it Back Network.
• Use other business take back programs.

Beverage containers:

• In Oregon, beverage containers can be returned to any retailer for a refund. Learn more about the Oregon Beverage Container Recycling Program.

Get Involved in Your Community

You can volunteer with or join an organization in your community that supports product stewardship principles such as:

• Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation (WCRC)
• Washington Toxics Coalition
• Earth Share of Oregon
• Recycling Advocates of Oregon

Buy Environmental Friendly or Green Products

• For electronics see the NWPSC Guide to Electronics Green Purchasing.
• Learn about purchasing mercury-free products.

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