Hi Rick,
Thanks for this post -- there certainly is lot to be said about waste-reduction policies on campuses!
I would also recommend a few resources on the AASHE website that could help you target specific institutions for understanding best practices and/or the institutionalisation of waste policies on campuses. For example, available here is a compilation of campus recycling and waste minimisation policies. There are also various articles on waste from the AASHE Bulletin that may be of interest.
My very best,
Ashwini

Ashwini-- thanks for your reply. I should actually clarify my post by saying that I'm looking for policies and practices related to electronic equipment (e-waste): computers, cell phones, music players and so on. Universities and their students are huge consumers of such equipment--my institution, for instance, has declared a "Year of E-Learning"-- yet there's remarkably little said about appropriate disposal standards.

Hi Rick,
We actually have been working on a resource center list of campus e-waste programs and policies. Unfortunately, it is not released yet, but I can offer a sneak peak of some of the campuses that will be a part of our comprehensive list. I'll be sure to follow up when this resource is released and post a link to this forums thread. In the meantime, I hope some of the below offers a snapshot of what some campuses are up to in this realm.

Aquinas College E-waste Program http://www.aquinas.edu/sustainability/success_waste.html
University of Florida E-waste Policy http://www.fa.ufl.edu/uco/handbook/handbook.asp?doc=1.4.9.17
Yale University (example online form to request e-waste pickup) http://www.yale.edu/ehs/wasteuw.htm
Wharton School of Business (U Penn) e-waste event http://sustainability.wharton.upenn.edu/waste_ewaste.html
U of Idaho state mandate regarding e-waste (qualifies as "surplus property" not allowed to be landfilled) http://www.uidaho.edu/facilities/les/recycling/policies
UCLA e-waste procedures http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1002783
Standford University program http://www.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/enviro/Electronic_Waste.html
Northwestern University Student eCycling program http://www.northwestern.edu/uservices/office/computer/student.html

Thanks, Niles; this is very helpful & should move our discussion along. I'll be interested to see the larger resource list when it's ready for release.

No policy yet, but we're considering TerraCycle, a program that pays you for some ewaste! good luck :)

No policy yet, but we're considering TerraCycle, a program that pays you for some ewaste! good luck :)

AASHE member-only resource may be helpful http://www.aashe.org/resources/e-waste-programs-policies-and-events

This resource list recognizes institutions that have e-waste recycling and/or reuse programs, policies or events. E-waste typically contains toxic components, such as lead and mercury that can contaminate soil and groundwater and have detrimental human health impacts if handled improperly. At the same time, e-waste contains components that can be recycled. Computers, cellular phones, and other electronic materials can be donated or re-sold at reduced cost to non-profit organizations and community groups. The "Item(s)" column represents only examples of those items that an institution is recycling, and the website should be referenced for more details and/or comprehensive list.

Rick, though not specifically campus policies, there are some great industry sources that can give you info on which to base your policy.

For the purchase of computers, I'd suggest looking at the E-peat standards. The standards are excellent and cover factors that affect sourcing, use, and disposal.

For disposal standards, I'd suggest looking at R2 certification.

I'd also check out WR3A and their fair trade recycling standards. I'd especially suggest reading some of their info before ever considering a policy that unilaterally bans exports of e-waste.

If you need info on why some exports are an issue, I'd recommend the info from BAN and their Exporting Harm info. I have concerns about their certification efforts, but they deserve all the credit in the world for raising the awareness about some of the extremely concerning overseas exports and recovery practices.

Lastly, does your campus have a primary contract with a computer maker (Dell, HP, etc.). If so, I'd consider looking into take-back efforts through them. I like doing this as an addition to a purchasing contract for new computers. Gives you something that accomplishes the goals of the various state legislative producer take back efforts, but I think it works better because it is part of an existing business arrangement..

Hope this helps.