Recycle this tactic: the green coalition

Washington consumers will have a free, legal and safe way to dispose of TVs, phones and computers because business, community and environmental interests are savvy enough to organize and speak with one voice.

A few years ago, the greens got smarter and more effective when they pared down their annual legislative wish list to a handful of important bills. Coalition-building is another winner. The power of a credible, compelling presentation in Olympia was fundamental last spring to passage of Senate Bill 6428. The law builds the cost of recycling into the manufacturing process, with the salutary effect of promoting the design of products that are easier to recycle and less harmful to the environment.

The coalition, dubbed the Electronic Waste Recycling Team, was honored by the Washington Environmental Council with the 2006 Backyard Hero Award in ceremonies Friday night at the Washington Convention and Trade Center.

The honorees who shared the legislative workload and now the accolades are Sego Jackson, the Washington Retail Association, Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation, the Washington Department of Ecology, Goodwill Industries Washington, Amazon.com, Hewlett Packard, Washington Conservation Voters and the Washington Environmental Council.

Instead of working at cross-purposes, groups with their own strong points of view were able to collaborate on legislation they could support and present to lawmakers.

Marcy Eastham, Northwest governmental-affairs manager for Hewlett Packard, said her company long ago concluded it was desirable to design products with end-of-life in mind. Older model laptops used a variety of screws until it dawned on HP recyclers it was faster to break down machines with one type of screw. Adhesives are scrutinized for their harm to the environment and their role in recycling. HP also strongly believed the cost of recycling should not be carried by a consumer fee, as is the case in California's law.

Vitally interested parties got together to give Washington residents a free, safe way to dispose of electronic garbage. Other states and other countries have taken notice of the Washington model. The workable solution was a joint effort properly saluted for its achievement.