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Inc. and Waste Management Recycle America are inviting Austin-area residents to recycle any brand of used or outdated electronics for free 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Travis County Exposition Center. The first 2,000 participants to drop off their unwanted electronics at Sony's Take Back Recycling event will receive a free, environmentally friendly cloth tote.

In the spirit of the holidays, Sony and Waste Management Recycle America will give back to the Austin community by donating $100 for every 1,000 pounds collected to the Capital Area Food Bank. Residents are also invited to bring canned and other non-perishable foods to the recycling event.

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 and Waste Management have collected more than 11.9 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 recycled, but as part of their ongoing efforts to help consumers recycle electronic devices safely, Sony and Waste Management Recycle America are picking up the tab for this weekend's event.

Both Sony and Waste Management Recycle America 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 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 local permanent drop-off locations around the country 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 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.

Earth Protection Services Inc., in Central Texas, is a permanent Sony and Waste Management Recycle America e-recycling drop-off location. Customers can recycle Sony-branded products at this depot for free.

      Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
      Phone number:  (512) 251-4691
      Address: 3920 Gattis School Road, Round Rock, TX 78664

"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 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 www.wm.com or 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 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 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 Recycle
America, +1-303-909-1244, CMiller7@recycleamerica.com

Web Site: http://www.recycleamerica.com/
http://www.sony.com/news
http://www.thinkgreen.com/
http://www.wm.com/