E-waste is everyone’s problem.

The impending arrival of the analog TV cutoff date has the environmental community worried that a flood of obsolete TVs will find their way into trash bins across the nation, contributing even more to the global problem of electronic waste.

The EPA estimates that, in 2007, Americans disposed of 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones, and computer products, with 82 percent ending up in the landfill.

But it doesn't have to.

This e-waste contains hazardous chemicals that can find their way into soil, air, and water. Cathode ray tubes contain several pounds of lead, while LCD fluorescent backlights contain mercury.

The dangers of these chemicals have prompted 10 states, including California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, to pass laws making it illegal to dump various types of e-waste in the trash; it must be recycled.

Unfortunately, the recycling route sometimes just delays the problem, since many recyclers simply export the waste to countries like China, India, and Pakistan, where it is incorrectly handled by local workers who expose themselves and their communities to chemical toxins.

For a list of recyclers in your area that will responsibly dispose of your electronics, go to electronicstakeback.org.

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition is a group of non-profit organizations that have joined together to promote green design and responsible recycling, and the website is a great place to learn more about the e-waste issue and track recycling laws around the country.

If you’ve ever dropped off a TV, A/V, or computer product at a local recycling center, you may have noticed one minor detail—it often costs money to do the right thing.

This leads to one of the most hotly debated topics on the subject of e-waste: Who should bear the cost of recycling? Is it the responsibility of the manufacturer who makes the product, the store that sells it, the consumer who buys it, or the government that has to clean up the mess?

Much to the disappointment of many big-name TV manufacturers, some of which have aggressively lobbied for laws that make it the consumer’s responsibility, more and more state legislatures are passing “producer responsibility” laws that require the manufacturer to cover recycling costs.

Two companies deserve props for being ahead of the curve on this one. Sony was the first TV manufacturer to voluntarily implement a take back recycling program in late 2007, which lets consumers recycle all Sony-brand products, including TVs, free of charge.

LG recently followed suit. Both companies have partnered with Waste Management, and the program allows you to drop off up to five Sony or LG products per day at a designated WM eCycling center, or you can ship them to select locations. Go to wm.com/sony for more information.

On the retail side, Best Buy is currently testing an e-waste recycling program in 117 stores, in which consumers can return electronics (including TVs with a screen size of 32 inches or less) at no cost, even if they were originally purchased elsewhere. If the retailer deems the test a success, it may make the program available in all of its stores.

Of course, free recycling doesn’t mean much if nobody bothers to recycle. Ultimately, we’re all responsible for the problem of e-waste, and must be willing to make the extra effort to recycle, whether required to do so by law or not.