By Abby Melendez-Cubias, Alliance Intern from University of California, Davis ‘26
Many people don’t know that they can’t dispose of electronic products with their household trash. Instead, they should be recycled. Electronic products contribute to groundwater contamination by leaching heavy metals into the groundwater. E-waste is responsible for 70% of lead pollution in landfills, according to Clean Water Action Minnesota.
Electronic products pose serious environmental and health challenges, especially in developing countries where much of our e-waste ends up. Sometimes the e-waste is burned so that it releases toxic gases. Other times they’re smashed to get at their valuable metals or just for disposal. In either case, this e-waste exposes workers to hazardous debris and dust, negatively impacting their health.
We’re seeing increasing evidence that E-batteries can cause fires because of the lithium ion they contain. A landfill fire in Rice County, MN polluted the air for thousands of citizens.
Proposed MN legislation (SF 1690/HF 1426) would require manufacturers to fund the collection of electronic waste and ensure it is recycled responsibly. There is a high demand for recovering the metals in e-waste, such as copper, gold and palladium, which can be used in new clean energy technologies. We lose $2 billion worth of valuable metals to landfills and incinerators.
You can make a difference by joining the Alliance in sending Clean Water Action Minnesota’s letter to your MN State legislators so they’ll enact this legislation today!