![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081106120323im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Links
Report
Your Collection Event Results 
Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge Events
Challenge in printable form (PDF) (1pg, 653K About PDF)
EPA Region 5 Earth Day Home Page
Are you interested in receiving periodic news from us about Great Lakes issues and opportunities?
Join our mail list, "greatlakesnews"
“Collect 1 Million Pounds of e-Waste
and 1 Million Unwanted
Pills”
For Earth Day 2008, US EPA challenges residents and communities around the Great Lakes to collect and recycle electronic waste and to properly dispose of unwanted medicines.
e-Waste
Electronic waste includes all those old or broken TVs, cell phones, computer
components
and similar gadgets that are part of our lives. E-waste contains
possibly hazardous materials that can harm human health and the Great Lakes
environment if disposed of improperly. In 2005 we discarded an estimated 2
million tons of TVs, computers and other electronic gear. Proper disposal
and recycling are necessary to avoid unwanted pollution. When we reuse or
recycle e-waste properly, we recover materials for re-use, save energy and
reduce the environmental costs of raw material extraction and processing.
More information about e-waste
Medicines
Traces of medicines have been found in streams and the Great Lakes where we
get our drinking water and have also been detected near wastewater treatment
outflows. Some of these medicines
can lead to reproductive and developmental
problems in fish and other animals. We often treat leftover medicine as a
common household waste. More than half of people surveyed throw their unused
medicines in the trash while a third flush them down the drain. In both
cases, the medicines have the potential to be released into our rivers and
lakes.
More information about unwanted medicines
The Challenge
U.S. EPA issues this Earth Day Challenge to residents, businesses and
community organizations throughout the Great Lakes basin to plan or
participate in collection events of e-waste or unwanted medicines during
Earth
Week April 19 – 27. Across the Great Lakes region, communities are
stepping up, signing on to the challenge and adding their collection and
take-back events to the efforts of thousands. This is a chance to see how
much we can accomplish together. The Challenge is to collect a million
pounds of e-waste for proper management and a million pills of unwanted
medicines for responsible disposal during Earth Week.
Contact Us
The Challenge is now over. If you would like more information about e-waste or unwanted medicines, please contact Chris Newman (e-Waste) or Todd Nettesheim (medicines).