U.S. consumers still slow to recycle gadgets

By Sinead Carew

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Green may be the new black, but many U.S. consumers are not recycling old electronic gadgets despite promises by multiple organizations for hassle-free ways to get rid of electronic waste.

Putting computers, televisions or cell phones in the trash is increasingly frowned on, and states like Massachusetts ban discarding many electronics in garbage cans. As a result, some local authorities arrange free recycling events and companies and charities around the country offer to recycle old devices.

But while most U.S consumers say they approve of recycling, a large number are not actually doing it. Stephen Baker of consumer research firm NPD Group has an idea why.

"People aren't doing it because people are lazy. When it comes right down to it there are no incentives. Most of the time it costs them money and even if it doesn't, the customer has to be proactive," said Baker.

U.S. consumers will spend $171 billion on 500 million electronics devices in 2008, adding to the existing 2.9 billion pile-up of items such as televisions, computers and cell phones, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

Lots of these gadgets will replace existing items. Many people say they keep old devices with a view to passing them on to relatives. Their more entrepreneurial and Web-savvy counterparts often sell used gadgets on sites like eBay.com and craigslist.org.

But while the percentage of old electronics thrown in the trash can dropped to 19 percent in 2007 from 21 percent in 2005, according to the association, U.S. consumers still ditch millions of device such as TVs and computers with their coffee grinds and candy wrappers.