Rapidly improving technology and a consumer thirst for all the latest gadgets are leaving people with a growing number of old electronics. Even though they should be recycled, most end up in the trash or gather dust in the basement. Now, states and manufacturers are trying to make it easier for people to recycle old TVs and iPods.

Retailers are seizing on “green” marketing opportunities by launching recycling initiatives. Best Buy last year started a program that sponsors recycling. Some Staples outlets likewise recycle computers and other items. In October, Office Depot began selling recycling “boxes” that customers fill with office items such as laptops and fax machines to be recycled.

Ace Hardware retailers in the Chicago area and Wisconsin last year started programs to recycle mercury-containing compact fluorescent bulbs; Wal-Mart held a pilot take-back day last summer at 350 of its stores.

Meanwhile, states are tightening their waste laws. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law in 2006 that will require manufacturers of electronic products to provide recycling plans by Jan. 1, 2009.

The state Department of Ecology offers a list of sites where items can be recycled. If you’ve got used cartridges, keyboards, monitors, TVs and such, visit 1800recycle.wa.gov or call 1-800-RECYCLE for further information.

Computers, televisions and other electronics contain materials including lead, cadmium and mercury, which can pose a risk to human health and the environment. Energy Star-labeled electronics – touted as eco-friendly due to the energy they save – still contain hazardous materials. The mercury in LCD TV screens and the lead in computer monitors, for example, can contaminate soil or water if not handled properly. There’s no federal law for the disposal of consumer electronics, though a handful of states have made it illegal to throw them in the trash.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, old consumer electronics accounted for about 1.5 percent of 250 million tons of trash in 2006, up from 1 percent in 2000. According to a 2006 report from the International Association of Electronics Recyclers, an industry group based in Albany, N.Y., roughly 15 percent to 20 percent of electronic waste was recycled, up from 10 percent to 15 percent in 2003. The figures don’t include products that were returned to manufacturers for recycling.

Some environmental advocates and researchers warn that many recycled items may end up in landfills anyway, or be recycled improperly in poorer countries.

When it comes to computers, many major manufacturers – such as Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. – will take old computers back. The recycling of TVs, especially large ones, can be onerous. Sony Electronics started a take-back program in September. Until mid-March the company will offer consumers a $100 credit toward a new Sony TV if they bring in an old one.

There is some concern about where the “recycled” items actually end up. According to Barbara Kyle, the national coordinator for the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, a national group based in San Francisco that promotes responsible recycling, roughly 50 percent to 80 percent of electronic waste that goes to recyclers goes on to developing countries, especially China, where it often isn’t properly dealt with. There, workers break apart the items to get at the metals and other components that can be resold and often are exposed to toxic substances in the process.

Kyle suggests that, if possible, consumers recycle their items through the manufacturer, because the manufacturer is likely to have responsible practices to protect its reputation.

Staff reporter C.R. Roberts contributed to this report.