After working for years in the information technology field, Michael Deutsch and John Kirsch decided they had to do something about the unnecessary electronic waste they witnessed. Every three years, companies would dispose of their old computers for newer models.

“We had computers left over that could work for nonprofits and schools,” Deutsch said. “These were good computers.”

However, Deutsch found it difficult to donate the computers to good causes. Nonprofits and other charitable causes wanted newer machines as well. And throwing the machines in a landfill was no solution. “Twenty percent of CRT (cathode ray tubes in televisions) is lead. Do you want to landfill that?” Deutsch asked. “The issue goes beyond recycling. It is about proper handling.”

Thus, Deutsch and Kirsch founded The 4th Bin about two years ago. The 4th Bin collects electronic waste, including computers, television sets and other electronics from individuals and companies. The business sorts the items into two categories – items for reuse and items for processing.

The electronics that can be reused, about 10 percent of the items collected, are refurbished and resold at a discounted rate or given to charitable causes.
The items that are to be processed are transported to the company’s recycling partners. The 4th Bin uses only e-Stewards certified recyclers for processing--a certification that requires electronic recyclers to adhere to strict environmental standards when processing. During processing, the items are refined, resold on the open market, and used to create new products. With a no landfill policy, The 4th Bin also ensures that the waste is not exported overseas.

When starting The 4th Bin, Kirsch, senior vice president of business development, and Deutsch, CEO, decided that if they were going to run an electronics recycling company, they wanted to do it the right way, even if that meant additional costs. They wanted to make a difference for future generations. The 4th Bin’s customer base is about evenly divided between individuals and businesses. Deutsch said that the company’s customers use its recycling services both for their convenience and because they are better for the environment, even though this can add extra costs. To distinguish themselves from other companies that claim to be socially responsible or green, The 4th Bin also focuses on excellent customer service. As a New Yorker, Deutsch realized that there was no easy way for urban residents to dispose of large electronic items.

Oftentimes, people would simply bring these items to the curb and hope that someone would take them before garbage collection happened. To help solve this problem, The 4th Bin provides pickup from customers with no minimums, sometimes even going into the person’s home to literally unplug the television set from the wall for them. “If you found someone to recycle your electronics, you had to get it to them, and that can be difficult in New York City,” Deutsch said. “We realized that our solution needed to be different than what was already available. We don’t fit into a traditional mold of a trucking company. We come from the tech world and from being New York City residents.”

Deutsch said it’s been a learning experience for both him and Kirsch. They’ve had to learn to navigate the sometimes challenging world of recycling and learn about the potentially hazardous materials in electronics. Additionally, with the passage of the New York State Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, which was signed into law in May 2010, The 4th Bin sees an opportunity to expand its business over the next few years. The law bans the disposing of electronic waste with other trash and requires manufacturers to provide consumers with opportunities to properly dispose of electronic waste.

The law will perhaps bring new awareness to the issue of properly disposing of electronic waste.  “I know it is an overused cliché, but it is important to always do the right thing. People who journey down the path of founding or working for a socially responsible organization need to hold themselves and their ways of living to an even higher standard,” Kirsch said. “Nothing is more frustrating for me than meeting business owners who claim to be ‘green’ or have green policies only to find out they are not willing to do what it takes to achieve that goal.”