Each month, a million pounds of electronics are recycled by East Cobb residents Janet & Nader Nejad’s company, MOLAM International. In just 12 years, the company they founded is now Georgia’s largest electronics recycling depot. MOLAM International is on the cusp of the so-called e-cycling movement, which makes everyday products out of toxic electronic trash too poisonous to dump just anywhere.
The U.S. government estimates that 133,000 electronic devices—cell phones, computers, and TVs are tossed aside each day, amounting to 3 million tons of so-called e-junk per year. The safe disposal of outmoded cell phones, TVs, computers, printers and monitors has become a worldwide concern. In addition to the cost and availability of landfills, electronic products contain materials that should not be treated as common waste.
Electronics make up a very tiny portion of the materials in landfills, but it’s the potential danger of some components that makes recycling important. Computer monitors and older TV picture tubes contain an average of four pounds of lead, a neurotoxic metal to which children are especially sensitive. Electronics can also contain chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc, and brominated flame retardants—which can seep into the environment.
“Most, if not all, of the materials from consumer electronic gadgets are recyclable and have re-use value, such as metals and plastics,” states Nader Nejad, founder and president of MOLAM. “As one of the only 2 companies under the EPA’s National contract for electronics recycling in the United States, we specialize in providing a service that ensures the proper handling and disposal of these materials with the objective of recycling and re-use.”
As a member of the Georgia Recycling Coalition, MOLAM was selected to represent the e-scrap recycling industry at a special gathering at the Georgia State Capitol in January of 2008. Governor Perdue recognized MOLAM as a leading sustainable and environmentally-friendly business at the Georgia State Capitol.
Under contract with the U.S. EPA, MOLAM has recycled over 25 million pounds of electronics scrap and processed over 10 million pounds of security-sensitive electronics for the U.S. Department of Defense. MOLAM International has a contract with the state of Georgia to recycle electronic waste. Last year, MOLAM processed 27,000 computers for Cobb County Schools. They also have teamed up with city and county governments for “E-Cycling Days” to collect and recycle as many computers, printers, monitors and other electronics as possible.
If your school, homeowners association or business is interested in sponsoring an e-cycling event, or currently has e-scrap that needs recycled call Ronald Doane at 770-420-5202 x225.
Caption: Nader and Janet Nejad, Founders, MOLAM International, are pictured at their electronics recycling facility.
Each month, a million pounds of electronics are recycled by East Cobb residents Janet & Nader Nejad’s company, MOLAM International. In just 12 years, the company they founded is now Georgia’s largest electronics recycling depot. MOLAM International is on the cusp of the so-called e-cycling movement, which makes everyday products out of toxic electronic trash too poisonous to dump just anywhere.
