Product Stewardship

09/05/2008 at 9:00 a.m.

Your computer finally died. Do you dump it in the trash or recycle it? Maybe manufacturers should be responsible for taking care of it. That's the idea behind product stewardship. Proponents believe that requiring manufacturers to be responsible for the waste would give them an incentive to build longer lasting, less toxic products. In January 2009, a new state law will require just that. Should it be the manufacturer's responsibility? What free recycling or take–back programs are in your area, and are they effective? Will product stewardship help save the planet?

Plus, Cliff Mass joins us with a weekend weather forecast.

Monday on Weekday: Slavoj Zizek on Violence

Guests

Cliff Mass, UW Atmospheric Scientist.

David Stitzhal is the coordinator of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council.

Sego Jackson is a principal planner with Snohomish County. He's one of 15 negotiators representing the interest of local governments in the National Electronic Product Stewardship Initiative, and is also involved with establishing product stewardship programs in Washington and nationally. He is a founding steering committee member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council.