PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — One of the largest electronic recycling companies in Washington state is facing multiple state investigations after it was allegedly caught exporting televisions with hazardous materials to unregulated facilities in Hong Kong.
KOPB-FM reports (http://bit.ly/1WR8My9 ) Seattle-based certified electronics recycler Total Reclaim admitted to withholding information about the exports after a nonprofit group placed GPS tracking devices in the TVs and traced their journey.
Both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology have launched investigations into whether Total Reclaim violated their state hazardous waste laws.
In a statement, Total Reclaim owners Craig Lorch and Jeff Zirkle blamed a bad commodities market for copper and plastic for the shipping.
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Information from: KOPB-FM, http://news.opb.org
