Take a few minutes and think about the collection of CDs and DVDs you have at home.  Now try and think of the last time you listened to a CD or watched a movie on a DVD.  If you are like the most of us, it has been a while.

回想一下你家里剩下的CD光盘有多少， 上次播放这些光盘又是什么时候？相信你和很多人一样，一定有一阵了吧。 

Most people have no idea how to responsibly dispose of discs, or that these small commodities have become a huge waste problem. The fact is, over 5.5 million boxes of discs are estimated to be discarded every year, and approximately 50 tons of DVDs become obsolete each month (source). These discs make up another increasingly large source of electronic waste (e-waste), as newer technology, such as online streaming and USB flash drives cards, render them cultural relics. 

大多数人都不知道如何负责任地处理废弃光盘，甚至不知道这些曾经的日常用品能产生多少污染。实际上，每年有超过550万光盘被丢弃，每月的数字已经要达到50吨。这些光盘在云端共享和U盘的新技术冲击下，已经成为上一个时代遗留下来的产物。

(Netflix and other streaming sites are making DVDs and CDs obsolete Photo:http://bgr.com/)

The process of making discs consumes natural resources, produces waste, and saps energy. A bundle of 66 discs requires 1 kilogram of plastic, 19 cubic meters of natural gas, 1 liter of crude oil, and 200 liters of water (source). Typically, these are distributed among three primary layers:

光盘的制造过程会消耗很多自然资源和能量，且同时产生废弃残留。每66张光盘需要消耗1公斤塑料，19立方米天然气，1升原油和200升水。一般，这些消耗以以下形式展现：

Even the most eco-conscious among us may end up frustrated and toss CDs or DVDs into trash bins, simply because of a lack of accessible recycling systems for such items. As you can imagine, discarding discs is not environmentally friendly. Once they are discarded they sit in our landfills. As they decompose, they release Bisphenol A (BPA) into the soil, an industrial chemical that can be harmful to human health, particularly those working at or living near landfills. The decomposition process takes approximately 1 million years.

即使是最有环保意识的人，可能也会被如何回收CD/DVD搞得头昏脑涨，最后不得已只能直接丢进垃圾桶，仅仅因为无法找到处理光盘的回收系统。显然，随意丢弃光盘对环境将带来污染。这些光盘被随意丢弃后，会进入垃圾填埋场，在分解的过程中释放出对人体有害的双酚A(BPA)，特别是对垃圾填埋场的工作人员和周边居民有害。而这个分解过程本身也需要将近一百万年。

These facts and figures apply only to the discs themselves. The plastic cases containing them are even worse, as they are chiefly produced from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a human carcinogen.

而且，这些数据仅仅针对被丢弃的光盘本身。而用来放置光盘的塑料盒子通常由PVC制成-一种已知的致癌物。

(CDs and DVDs can not be recycled with other recyclables Photo: Netwaste)

While-waste is a huge global problem and the world’s fastest growing waste stream, there are some positive trends:

(a) more public outreach is being done to educate people about the proper way to dispose of e-waste;

(b) many companies have the technology to recycle most types of e-waste, including discs; and

(c) discs are made of materials that have enough value to be recycled for use in other products

尽管像光盘这样的电子垃圾是世界增速最快的废弃物，也有很多活动在积极处理问题：

(a)      越来越多的活动正在进行中，告诉人们如何正确处理电子垃圾

(b)     一些公司有针对电子垃圾的解决方案，致力于用科技解决大多数电子垃圾

(c)      制作光盘的材料有一定的回收价值，可用于其他产品的制造

There are companies, such as Decluttr (in the US and UK), that will buy your old CDs and DVDs depending on their popularity and quality. A World watch article mentions how one recycling company in San Jose, California, processes 1million CDs every month, and in its second year of operation, the company recovered 20 million CDs, many from software companies disposing of excess inventory.

现在国外有一些公司收购该废旧的CD和DVD，价格取决于它们的质量和流行程度，比如在美国和英国开展业务的的Decluttr公司。Worldwatch发表的文章曾提到过一家在加州圣何塞的公司每月处理一百万张CD，在第二年，处理的数量多达两千万张，其中很多都是软件公司过量生产而制造的废弃物。

If selling your CDs and DVDs is not an option, then responsibly recycling them definitely is.Specialized electronics or plastic recycling companies clean, grind, blend and compound the discs into a high-quality plastic for a variety of uses, including office equipment, auto industry parts, and electrical cable insulators.

如果出售CD和DVD比较困难的话，那么环保地将它们回收也是一个很好的选择。拥有回收资质的公司能够清理、磨碎、搅拌、混合这些光盘以重塑出有多种用途的高质量塑料，可以被再制成办公用品、自动化产业中的部件、和电缆用绝缘体。

Some private and public initiatives do exist. Apple, Best Buy, Dell, LG, Samsung, Sony, Sprint, Staples and VIZIOall offer programs for either recycling electronics free of charge, or buying them back. Germany has “divided product responsibility,” which requires public recycling companies to accept e-waste, encourages manufacturers to take back their own products for disposal, and legally binds consumers to dispose of e-waste properly.

有一些公司和环保组织提供回收业务，如苹果、百思买、戴尔、LG集团、三星、索尼、斯普林特、史泰博和VIZIO等提供免费回收或回购自营品牌废弃电子部件的企划。在德国，“产品分割责任”要求回收公司接受电子垃圾、鼓励制造公司回收处理自己的产品，并在用法律约束消费者负合理地处理电子垃圾。

(DVDs waiting to be recycled Photo: Ecycler)

Unfortunately, most of these programs do not operate in China. After doing a fair amount research on potential local recycling solutions specifically for CD/DVD or e-waste recycling we did not find much information. The [WE] Project, by Green Initiatives, Baidu Recycle,  AiHuiShou (Chinese only) and YouDeMai (Chinese only) are a few that we researched, and that are doing related and relevant recycling. 

然而，这些项目大多还没有在中国展开。非常遗憾，我们在调查后，也没有发现合适的CD/DVD回收商。绿色倡议的[WE]项目，百度回收和爱回收是为数不多的搜索结果之一，他们在落地类似的回收项目。

Baidu Recycle, a web-based app that started as a collaboration between search engine giant Baidu and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 2014, is an e-waste disposal and recycling platform that aims to link individuals wishing to responsibly dispose of e-waste with proper, legal recycling and dismantling companies.

百度回收，是搜索引擎巨头百度和联合国发展署(UNDP)2014年的合作框架下，发布的一款电子垃圾回收再利用的app平台，致力于连接那些想要负责任地并且有效合法地处理电子垃圾的个人和公司。

However, much of the app seems to be in Chinese, and our team faced several issues while attempting to use it. In addition, despite responsible and transparent recycling being one of the problems with e-waste disposal, the app has not yet confirmed who it works with. The intention, though, is right, and if further developed could be a great solution.

然而，百度回收仅针对中文用户，我们的团队在尝试通过app回收时，也不是非常顺畅。此外，百度回收仍未确认其合作伙伴，不能确认他们是否真正做到负责透明的回收。无论如何，百度回收的出发点是正确的，如果能有更透明的回收解决方案能提供就更好。

Aihuishou’s website allows people to sell or recycle old laptops, phones, handheld game consoles, and tablets for cash or store credit, as well as trade in older models for a new one. Kuaidi will pick up and deliver devices to users’ doorsteps in Shanghai and Beijing, but users in other cities are responsible for their own shipping. Aihuishou’scollaboration with JD.com makes the entire process much more convenient and accessible.

爱回收在做旧电脑、手机、游戏手持遥控器、平板电脑等电子产品的回收，以兑换现金、商店积分、或以旧换新。爱回收在上海和北京可以提供上门提货的服务，但在其他城市的用户需要自己负责物流。同时，爱回收与京东有合作，使回收和二手交易过程更加方便及可实现。

A multiple-choice form, asking which functions do and don’t work, helps users calculate their device’s value.Aihuishuo then searches its database of certified dealers for quotes, and sends the device to professional refurbishers, who then resell the secondhand phones on Aihuishou’s marketplace.

爱回收有一个提供多选项的表格，询问客户这些废弃电子用品中的功能好用与否，可帮助计算这些电子垃圾的价值。之后，爱回收会在它的数据库里面搜索合格的交易商，并把这些设备进行专业重装，并把这些二手手机送去爱回收的市场。

Unfortunately, Aihuishou does not take devices that it thinks cannot be resold at a profit. So people who just want to get some old electronics off their hands will have to find another avenue.

而不幸的是，爱回收并不接受那些不能再次销售的设备。因此，如果人们想要绿色地处理掉一些较旧的电子设备的话，仍需要另寻别处。

Youdemai is a secondhand digital product resale platform, that provides all kinds of enterprise and personal e-waste recycling services, their main channel for sale being their website. Recycling categories include mobile phones, tablets, PCs, notebook computers, digital video players, gaming consoles, large consumer appliances, etc. Customers are able to take pictures of their appliances and upload to the Youdemai platform, where the company decides how much ‘value’ in rewards or cash to give back to its customers. Once collected (home pickup is available), the company then sends the equipment to trusted e-waste recycling company.

"有得卖"是中国的一家二手电子产品评估回收平台。回收的品类包括手机、平板电脑、笔记本电脑、数码影像、游戏机、和大家电。用户可以上传电子产品的照片到网站，由公司评估器材价格。有专业人员提供上门回收服务。平台同时提供售卖二手电器的服务，如果有不能再售的产品，有得卖会将器材送到一家经认证的电子产品回收公司。

The [WE] Project was started by Green Initiatives in Shanghai in June 2016 to provide the community with a convenient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted and broken electronic products, including CDs and DVDs. [WE] recycling boxes are placed all over Shanghai, including publicly accessible boxes at Element Fresh, Anken Green, Anken Air and URBN Hotels, where people can drop off their electronic items that they no longer need.

绿色倡议的[WE]项目在2016年六月在上海启动，给不同社区提供便捷且环保的方式处理废弃、损坏的电子设备，包括前文提到的CD和DVD废弃物（[WE]回收的电子垃圾完整清单）。[WE]的回收箱遍布上海，放置在新元素餐厅、安垦绿色、安垦空气和URBN酒店。人们只需要把他们废弃的电子物资丢进箱中即可。

The collection boxes are emptied every 1-2 months and taken to a certified dismantling factory, where materials are then responsibly extracted from the products. Plastic, glass, epoxy, gold, silver and copper can be used to make derivative products, such as agglomerates for benches and doors, among other things.

[WE]的收集箱每一个月到两个月清空一次，物流会把电子垃圾带到一个经认证的拆解工厂收集分类原料。塑料、玻璃、环氧基树脂物、金、银、铜将被制成衍生产品，可再制成为公共长椅的原材料和人造石贴砖等。

(WE Project Recycling process)

Now, Shanghai inhabitants can free up space in their homes or offices and help save the planet at the same time.

现在，只要您身处上海，可以通过绿色倡议提供的途径处理身边的废弃物。同时，拯救我们的地球。

Switching to digital formats and online platforms to quench your thirst for entertainment could be the single biggest way to reduce the problem of CD/DVD waste. From an e-waste perspective, ensure that you buy only what you need, and buy good quality electronics from reliable and ethical companies that will ensure that the devices last long.

作为个人能在CD/DVD产生的污染方面所做的最大贡献，当然就是将娱乐都转换为电子模式。而在电子垃圾的角度，我们需要确保我们购买的产品是我们真正需要的，并从可靠的商家购买产品，他们的产品质量更好、可持续使用时间也更长。

If you already have devices or discs that you no longer need, ensure they are responsibly disposed in one of the [WE]collection boxes in Shanghai.

 如果你已经有不需要的电子设备和光盘，尽绵薄之力，负责任地把它们投入遍布上海的收集箱吧！

If you work in an office, you can also contact us to set up a [WE] collection box for your colleagues convenience and the company to responsibly dispose of IT equipment.

如果你觉得自己的办公室可以放置一个[WE]的回收箱，欢迎联系我们，给你的团队带来便捷，为公司的电子设备绿色回收贡献力量。

The following article was written by Green Initiatives volunteers Joyce Wang and Ha Ly.

这篇文章由绿色倡议的志愿者Joyce Wang和Ha Ly完成。

On why Ha worked on this piece she says, “We are constantly chasing after newer technology and I am no different. Working on this piece gave me an opportunity to learn about how I can do my part in closing the loop of the consumerism cycle.” 

On why Joyce worked on this piece she says, ‘The pollution today is built up from the productions from yesterday, therefore, it’s important that, as the new generation, I am able to contribute to prevent such tragedy to recur. Working on this article is indeed a great opportunity to raise awareness on the e-waste issues and spread information about the effect a simple action can have on our planet.'

了解更多关于活动的信息，请点击下方”阅读全文“

 For more info please click "Read More" below.