So you received a new computer as a holiday present. Or perhaps it was a smart phone with all the latest features. Or maybe you simply splurged on yourself and got that Kindle you've been drooling over for months.  Electronic gadgets are always a popular gift this time of year, but once you've got the new equipment all set up, what are you going to do with your old, outdated stuff?

If the terms "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" have not been a part of your vocabulary in the past, it might be time to start thinking about going green in 2011. Doing so with your unwanted electronics is a great place to start.

One thing you shouldn't do with your outdated electronics is to throw them in the trash—especially if the item you have replaced is in good, reusable condition. A substantial number of today's electronics contain toxic substances such as lead and cadmium, which are harmful to human health and to the environment. Most states, Connecticut included, have legislation in place that prohibits or discourages adding to the growing mountain of e-waste in landfills.

Instead of disposing of your still usable computer, you might want to consider making a donation to a local or regional non-profit organization that can reuse it. Town residents who have received a new GPS unit to replace an old, still useable GPS are invited to donate their old GPS units to the Tolland Fire Department, Inc, for example. Residents may be reassured their old GPS units will be put to good use in the department's fire, rescue and emergency medicine service operations. 

If you can't find anyone local, contact the Greenwich, Conn.-based National Cristina Foundation. This not-for-profit 501(c)(3) foundation directs donations of used computer equipment to various non-profit organizations and agencies across the country that serve disabled persons, at-risk students and the economically disadvantaged for the purposes of educational training and job development.

Some electronics manufacturers have established "take back" programs where they will recycle your old equipment at no charge. Best Buy takes back most electronics at their retail stores. Staples has partnered with Dell and accepts Dell products at their outlets. Check their web sites for details.

However, if you find you must dispose of your electronics, "green" recycling isn't always as easy as it might seem.

"[Electronics are] the fastest growing part of the waste stream," said Barbara Kyle, National Coordinator of the Electronics Takeback Coalition, a consortium of non-profit environmental and consumer groups focused on the responsible recycling of e-waste.

"The dirty secret of e-waste recycling is that many who claim to be recyclers are simply exporters," said Kyle.

"People think they are doing the right thing by bringing their e-waste to recycling centers," she said. "They don't know that many companies simply load them up in containers and send them to developing countries like Ghana and Nigeria, where the recovery operations are managed so poorly that people end up getting poisoned."

Kyle added that in some of the crude recovery operations overseas, workers will bash and burn electronic waste to get to the metals inside. Many of the plastics inside are burned, emitting toxic dioxin in the process.

The best way to be sure you are dealing with a responsible recycler, Kyle said is to start with companies that are part of the "e-stewards network."

An initiative of the Seattle, Wash.-based Basel Action Network, Kyle said the e-steward program is a high-standard certification program with third party auditing that evaluates recycling outfits on whether they export e-waste to developing countries and other high quality standards.

We Recycle, LLC, which has a facility in Meriden, is a certified processing e-steward location. "It's not really recycling unless the right vendors get hold of it," said Kyle.

According to the town web site, effective January 1, 2011, Willimantic Waste, Tolland's residential and refuse recycling contractor will no longer be picking up and disposing of certain electronics, so how residents choose to dispose of their e-waste will be an important factor to consider in the years ahead.

The town will be working with the Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority (CRRA) to arrange drop off dates and locations for such items. However, the CRRA currently contracts with Vestal, NY-based Eco-International, which is not part of the e-steward network.

According to its web-site, Eco-International complies with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Standard Electronics Recycling Export policy, which allows for the exporting of e-waste overseas, of which ISRI says most reuse markets exist.

The ISRI opposes H.R. 6252, The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, proposed legislation that calls for a ban on the exportation of e-waste to developing countries—non-hazardous or working electronics parts would be allowed to be exported under the proposed bill.

Instead, the ISRI favors educating developing nations on how to improve health and safety conditions and encouraging responsible recycling practices. The ISRI is also a big proponent of adherence to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Responsible Recycling R2 program, a set of voluntary electronics recycling operational practices. 

Tom Gaffey, CRRA's Director of Recycling and Enforcement said that when the CRRA went out to bid for e-waste recycling, Eco-International was the most responsive bidder coming in at about one-third the cost per pound than the next lowest bidder. However, how the contractor might dispose of their e-waste was a concern.

"We did our own environmental checks and we asked Eco-International about [exporting to developing nations] specifically, and they told us the material they recycle and sell goes only to North American markets," Gaffey said, adding that soon there will be no cost to CRRA as Connecticut law is shifting the costs for recycling electronics to electronics manufacturers.

Despite disagreements about how to handle e-waste, Kyle said the best thing anyone can do for the environment is to prolong the life of a product by connecting with groups that will reuse them.

"At the incredible pace of technology today, we are replacing working technology at a pretty alarming rate," she said.

Tolland Patch Editor Renée Canada contributed to this article.