Waste Management and Sony Electronics to Host Free Electronics Recycling Event

To encourage consumers to recycle electronic devices in an environmentally sound manner, Sony Electronics Inc. and Waste Management Recycle America are asking Atlanta-area residents to take action and recycle their old electronics for free Nov. 22 at Turner Field from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first 2,000 participants to drop off their unwanted electronics will receive a free, environmentally friendly cloth tote.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 82 percent of the 2.25 million tons of old TVs, cell phones and computer products generated in the last two years ended up in landfills. By recycling old electronics products, useful materials -- such as glass, plastic and metals -- can be collected and re-used in the manufacture of other products. Since their partnership began, Sony Electronics and Waste Management have collected more than 11.1 million pounds of electronics waste, and the companies anticipate that number will grow exponentially as they continue to host events throughout the country.

Typically, residents would need to pay for their electronics to be properly collected and recycled, but as part of their ongoing efforts to help consumers recycle electronic devices safely, Sony Electronics and Waste Management are picking up the tab for this weekend's event, where any brand of electronics will be collected for free. In addition, the companies have committed to collecting and processing these items in an environmentally sound manner.

Both Sony and Waste Management are signatories to the Basel Action Network's Manufacturers' Commitment to Responsible E-Waste Recycling. The actions signify the companies' agreement to conduct their electronics recycling programs transparently and in accord with rigorous environmental and worker safety standards, and adhere to measures to prevent the export of hazardous e-waste to developing countries.

The event is part of Sony Electronics' ongoing Take Back Recycling program, which provides free recycling for Sony products. This national effort is also bringing attention to recycling e-waste and educating the public that there are alternatives to trashing electronics, and that -- through recycling -- natural resources can be used again and greenhouse emissions are reduced in the process.

"Sony Electronics intends to lead the industry in environmental stewardship by providing consumers with end-of-life solutions through our Take Back Recycling Program," said Mark Small, vice president of environment, safety and health for Sony Electronics. "These special recycling events help us inform consumers that with Waste Management, Sony Electronics has established a local permanent drop-off location which they can use all year long to recycle their electronics when unplugged for the last time."

This coming February, all television stations will transition from broadcasting on analog airwaves to digital. Some older televisions will not be able to pick up the digital transmission, so Sony Electronics and Waste Management are taking a proactive approach to this issue by offering residents a permanent network of drop-off points that gives consumers a convenient way to recycle their old televisions through the Take Back Recycling Program, through which this weekend's event is possible.

"People are seeking services to help them recycle electronic waste responsibly and economically," said Matthew Coz, vice president of Growth and Commodity Sales, Waste Management Recycle America. "We hope to collect as much recyclable material as possible through this free event. It is our way of demonstrating a shared commitment with the community, by providing outstanding customer service and environmental stewardship."

A complete list of eCycling drop-off centers can be found at http://www.sony.com/recycle. For more information, or questions on processing procedures, call 877-439-2795.

About Waste Management and WM Recycle America, L.L.C.

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit http://www.wm.com/ or http://www.thinkgreen.com/.

WM Recycle America is a subsidiary of Waste Management and is the largest residential recycler in North America. WM Recycle America's business lines include processing many types of consumer-generated recyclables and finding the best markets for the recyclable commodities produced. In its capacity of providing processing and marketing services, WM Recycle America offers a wide variety of recycling options for municipal, manufacturing, commercial and residential customers. WM Recycle America eCycling Services operates a national network of e-waste processing centers, including Minnesota's only ISO9001 and 14001 Certified electronics processing facility. More information can be found at http://www.recycleamerica.com/

About Sony Electronics

Headquartered in San Diego, Sony Electronics is a leading provider of audio/video electronics and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, design, engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service.

Sony has played a key role in the development of Blu-ray, Disc™, CD, DVD and Super Audio CD technologies, among many others. The company is noted for a wide range of consumer audio-visual products, such as the BRAVIA® LCD high-definition television, Cyber-shot® digital camera, Handycam® camcorder and Walkman® personal stereo. Sony is also an innovator in the IT arena with its VAIO® personal computers; and in high-definition professional broadcast and video equipment, highlighted by the XDCAM® HD and CineAlta™ lines of cameras and camcorders, and the SXRD™ 4K digital projector. The latest news and information is available at the company's Web site at http://www.sony.com/news.

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SOURCE: Sony Electronics Inc.

CONTACT: Honey Mae Kenworthy of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-2940,
HoneyMae.Kenworthy@am.sony.com; or Chad Miller of Waste Management,
+1-303-909-1244, Cmiller7@recycleamerica.com

Web site: http://www.sony.com/
http://www.wm.com/
http://www.thinkgreen.com/
http://www.recycleamerica.com/