If there’s a D-Day in the world of electronics, it’s February 17, 2009. That’s the day the traditional analog TV broadcasts we’ve enjoyed since the medium’s advent will be replaced by new digital transmissions that will revolutionize the way Americans receive their television programming. The downside is that suddenly, older sets pulling their signals off the air via antennas won’t work without some cable modification, an event that’s filling recycling advocates and solid waste experts with dread.

Their fear is a simple one: Television owners trading up to digital models will flood the country’s solid waste stream with obsolete sets that create an unprecedented electronic hazardous waste crisis.

Though it comes as something of a shock to think of the family TV as hazardous waste, it’s a fact that our televisions can be quite toxic once discarded. From lead in their glass screens to heavy metals and flame retardants in their electronic components, they’re made from a variety of materials that are unsafe when disposed of improperly.

The problem is twofold. First, in areas where electronics recycling is hard to come by, TVs are simply sent to the landfill or local dump where the toxic materials they contain can enter the environment.

Second, even where recycling programs are available, the results aren’t always positive. Unscrupulous recyclers sometimes send the electronics they collect to the developing world, where “recycling” consists of impoverished men, women, and children prowling mountains of slowly disintegrating e-waste in search of anything salvageable, gathering toxic materials without safeguards and smelting dangerous metals over crude open fires.

It’s a situation made possible by the United States, which has yet to ratify a 1995 amendment to the Basel Convention that would ban the export of toxic trash to developing countries. Instead, as long as “recyclers” can get some kind of payment for the electronics they’ve collected, U.S. law ignores what those devices are made from and simply classifies discarded TVs and other items as a tradable commodity rather than toxic waste, which is how most other exporting nations view and regulate them.

These factors make it extremely important for us to recycle our TVs and other old or broken devices with care. Here’s our how-to guide:

• First, keep in mind that you don’t have to buy a digital TV. If your set is an older analog model, a simple set-top conversion box will allow you to continue to receive over-the-air broadcasts. Cable and satellite TV subscribers can keep using their analog sets with no modifications at all. For more information about the digital deadline and TV set requirements, visit the Federal Communications Commission.

• When and if you do need to replace your TV (or any electronic device including iPods and computers), consider donating it to a reuse program if it’s still in working order. The best kind of recycling we can do is to give the things we’re disposing of useful new lives in another setting. Many communities have non-profit agencies that collect and redistribute used electronics to needy families and organizations. See below for some resources.

• If you can’t find a local destination for your functioning electronics or must dispose of devices that no longer work, look for a responsible recycler. The Telecommunications Industry Association maintains a list of questions you can ask to ascertain whether or not a prospective recycler makes the grade.

• Explore manufacturer take-back programs. Many electronics makers now accept their brands’ used models for recycling. For lists of companies and programs, visit the National Center for Recycling and the EPA.

• When it’s time to buy a new TV, get a green one that will have less of an impact on the environment during its lifecycle! Consult My Green Electronics to find the best brands and models.

Here are some other online resources to help you reuse and recycle your old TVs and electronics:

• The EPA maintains a useful directory of e-cycling services and organizations that accept donations.

• Earth 911 also has some good ideas.

• The Telecommunications Industry Association offers a state-by-state guide to e-cyclers and similar services.

• Online auctioneer eBay’s Rethink program can connect you to places where you can donate old gear.

• Try giving your functioning stuff away on Freecycle.

photo: SqueakyMarmot