Whenever I hear “E-Cycling,” I think of some amazing new technology that allows you to shoot your old trash and junk over to the recycling plant by means of e-mail. Of course, it isn’t — “E-Cycling” is simply the term used for recycling and managing potentially hazardous electronic waste, and, thanks to a new state law passed in Washington, managing that waste is about to become a whole lot more pleasant.

Do you have an old TV, laptop or monitor? Now you can easily recycle it for free, thanks to a new state law.

The E-Cycle Washington program requires manufacturers to provide recycling services for TVs, desktop computers, laptop computers and monitors at no cost to residents, nonprofits, small businesses, schools and local governments.

Normally, the onus of proper electronics disposal is left to the consumers, who are often uneducated on the subject and are thrown into a disarray of confusion and inconvenience. This step by Washington government could prove vital in curbing misplacement and careless abandonment of e-waste, an incredibly important step considering that e-waste is a very dangerous thing.

Certain components of some electronic products contain materials that render them hazardous, depending on their condition and density. For instance, California law currently views nonfunctioning CRTs (cathode ray tubes) from televisions and monitor as hazardous.

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In addition, some researchers estimate that nearly 75 percent of old electronics are in storage, in part because of the uncertainty of how to manage the materials. Combine this with increasing advances in technology and new products headed towards the market and it is no wonder that “e-waste” is a popular topic.

The law isn’t foolproof — it does not currently address the issue of smaller electronics like MP3 players, DVD and CD players, printers, scanners, or cell phones to name just a few — but hopefully these issues will be addressed in the near future. Even more importantly, if this law goes over well perhaps its influence will spread to nearby (and even not-so-nearby) states. It seems small, but the impact of this law on the environment could be massive.

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More about recycling? It seems to be the Topic of the Week in the news right now, and that’s always encouraging so let’s roll with it. Up in Washington it seems that quite a few people have questions about where to take their own more dubious recyclables, and The Olympian is up to the task of getting those questions answered.

Question: Where can I recycle plastic compost bags that contained compost from Home Depot?

Answer: Any plastic film that you can stretch and poke your finger through, you can recycle, said Amber Wells, an education and outreach specialist with Thurston County Solid Waste. A bag that contained soil or compost should be turned inside out and hosed off or wiped on the grass.

Many stores accept plastic bags for recycling. Recycle bins often are located near the front door of supermarkets such as Albertsons, Safeway and Top Food & Drug. The bags are used to make more bags, as well as plastic lumber products such as Trex decking.

Q: Could you please let me know where I should take my old TV now that I’ve broken down and bought a new HD one?

A: Bring televisions and computer monitors to the Thurston County Waste an d Recovery Center to be recycled for a $15 fee. The center is at 2418 Hogum Bay Road N.E. in Lacey. It’s open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon day through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

You also can take it to Community Recycle Days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Thurston County Fairgrounds, 3054 Carpenter Road, Lacey.

There’s more where that came from. I realize this article is really only specifically helpful for those of you up in our great northern state’s capital, but it does paint an excellent list of items you might not immediately assume to be recyclable, and as such it is inspiring me to compile a similar list for my own locale. Perhaps you shall see that published here soon!

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• The rest of San Diego County may soon be following in Encinitas’ footsteps. [Sign On San Diego]
• Meanwhile, Gonzaga is following in the footsteps of all universities going green. [Gonzaga Bulletin]
• Concluding the Telluride/Aspen Plastic Bag Reduction Challenge: Telluride 1, Aspen 0. [Telluride Watch]
• North Carolina communities are making a heartfelt effort at replacing plastic bags. [The Appalachian]
• …and in South Carolina, a plastic bag factory is closing its doors. [Triangle Business Journal]
• Recycling is fashionable, and sometimes it IS fashion. [Ventura County Star]
• Florida’s Emerald Coast is all, “Paper or plastic? No, thank you!” [Emerald Coast]
• Japan is going to start recycling Nylon products. Hey, why not? [Trading Markets]
• Eugene-based Market of Choice is ditching the plastic. [NWCN]
• Plastic bags, served twenty-eight ways. [Green Eco Services]

Image via Flickr!