E.P.A. Partners with Best Buy to Recycle Electronic Goods Collected in Iowa Flood Cleanup

(Kansas City, Kan., July 7, 2008) - The E.P.A. has successfully partnered with the Best Buy retail store chain to collect and recycle thousands of consumer electronic goods, also known as e-goods, that were ruined by recent Iowa floods.

An official partner of EPA's "Plug-In To eCycling" plan since 2006, Best Buy has contracted with the Materials Processing Corporation (MPC), which will recycle 100 percent of all e-goods collected from Iowa's flooded areas.

Through the partnership, approximately 5,544 pieces of electronic equipment will be put on 250 pallets for transporting to MPC facilities in Egan, Minnesota. 6 semi trucks will be used to transport damaged materials collected from several Iowa cities affected by June's flooding.

E-goods and household hazardous wastes are included in EPA's current flood response mission assignment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Since June 22, 2008, E.P.A. Region seven on-scene coordinators have been working throughout Iowa's flood-damaged areas to collect household hazardous wastes, orphan containers, white goods and e-goods. As of July 6, 2008, household hazardous waste items collected during the Iowa mission totaled approximately 107,203 pieces.

Best Buy's activities in support of the flood cleanup are at no cost to the federal government. They also reduce costs for disposal because the collected e-goods won't be taken to landfills.

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