Target

Bullseye on E-waste

As You Sow's 2011 shareholder resolution asked the company to describe policy options to minimize the environmental impacts of its electronics recycling policies, such as promoting reuse of working equipment and preventing export to developing countries of hazardous e-waste and untested or non-working equipment or components.

30.8% of Target investors supported the resolution, several times higher than the expected level of support for a first-year resolution on this issue. Despite this strong message from shareholders, the company has not take substantive actions to provide in-store recycling, so we have re-filed for 2012.

Target, the fourth largest U.S. retailer of consumer electronics, lacks a broad electronics take back recycling policy. Target does provide take back bins for small devices such as music players and mobile phones but does not provide options for recycling of large items such as TVs, stereos, and computers. Further, it does not disclose substantive information about the disposition of electronics it collects, whether it promotes reuse of working equipment, and bars export of collected electronics to the developing countries.

In March 2011, the company agreed to pay a $22 million fine to the state of California for more than 300 instances of improper disposal of hazardous waste including discarded electronics. As noted here, improper disposal of electronics in developing countries can result in serious public health and environmental impacts. Old analog TV sets and monitors with cathode ray tubes contain large amounts of lead, flat screen monitors contain mercury switches, and computer batteries contain cadmium, all of which can be harmful to human health if released to the environment.

The aim is of our engagement is to encourage Target to develop electronics recycling policies matching Best Buy's, which were successfully adopted following engagement with As You Sow, to provide take-back for consumer electronics across their U.S. stores.