Texas Almost Doubled Computer Recycling in 2010

Computer recycling in Texas almost doubled in 2010 compared the year prior, according to the state's environmental regulator. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says 24.3 million pounds of old hard drives, motherboards and various other computer parts were diverted away from landfills last year.

The recycling program was created by the state legislature in 2007. House Bill 2714 requires computer manufacturers who sell in Texas to offer easy recycling programs for their brands of consumers.

"We're pretty pleased, but we do have a long way to go," Texas Campaign For The Environment program director Stacy Guidry told KUT News. She says Texas recycles less than one pound per person, while states like Oregon recycle more than 6 pounds per person.

"We're hoping it's not going to take us another eight years to get to the performance of a state like Oregon," she said. 

Guidry says environmentalists in Texas are pushing to adopt measures already in place in other states, like TV recycling programs. She points to a bill introduced by State Rep. Byron Cook (R-Corsicana) as one example. State Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) has filed a similar bill.