The Daily Star - AUB hosts E-waste Awareness and Collection Day - October 29, 2010

BEIRUT: Refuse classified as hazardous waste, electronic waste or e-waste should be reduced and recycled, said participants at an E-waste Awareness and Collection Day which was held this week at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Under the patronage of Environment Minister Mohammad Rahhal and with his participation, Beeatoona (Our Environment) organized the event in collaboration with AUB’s Center for Civic Engagement and Community Services and the University’s environmental club. During the event, AUB was declared an official e-waste collection point for the university campus and the surrounding neighborhood, and Beeatoona and AUB committed to continuing to spread awareness about this problem. Beeatoona director Nadine Haddad explained that e-waste included anything with an electronic board, from monitors to cellular phones to toners. “They turn into e-waste when we stop using them, even if they’re still functional,” she said, adding that e-waste is classified as hazardous waste that can contaminate the air, the water, and the soil and can lead to potentially deadly diseases. –The Daily Star