Man pleads guilty to e-waste scrapping at home

Sept. 22 -- A 41-year-old Columbus, Ohio, man pleaded guilty to attempted illegal disposal of hazardous waste after officials allege he was smashing old televisions with a hammer to get recyclable parts out of the electronic waste.

Robert A. Holland will be forced to pay for cleanup of the remnants of hundreds of smashed televisions and computer screens, officials said. The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio will determine if lead is present at the home and if a concrete pad where the destruction of the items occurred will need to be removed, along with nearby soil.

The EPA is estimating the cost of clean up at about $10,000, SWACO said.

The charge against Holland is a misdemeanor and he was placed on probation for five years, SWACO said in a statement. Holland must complete 120 hours of community service on a litter crew and is barred from having possession or disposing of CRT monitors, either broken or intact.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@crain.com or 313-446-6780.

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