Why Your Singing Valentine’s Day Card is Illegal to Throw Away in California
We’ve all seen the rows and rows of “singing” cards at the drug store—cards that play songs, cards that coo something sweet or funny when you open them. They’re cute to give to your Valentine or a loved one on a special holiday, but that electronic magic embedded in them actually creates a whole bunch of trouble.
Singing cards contain batteries and electronic circuit boards that are classified as Universal Waste (U-Waste) in California, meaning it is illegal for them to be disposed of into sanitary landfills. The tiny button batteries contain lithium that if ingested can lead cause serious health problems like vocal paralysis, hearing loss and nasal deformity. The circuit boards contain metals that are toxic to aquatic animals.
Consumers and parents should not have to worry about taking the toxic insides out of their cards so they don’t poison their children or the environment.
Hallmark should not be selling cards with embedded e-waste without regard for how those products can be disposed.
Watch our video for more details:
Why add to the already massive mounds of e-waste that our country produces by adding silly batteries and circuit boards that will really only be used once or twice before being tossed?
Hallmark has been a leader in the greeting card industry for more than a century. It’s about time they become the leader in environmentally responsible cards.
Cards should bring joy and love into our homes—not toxic hazards. Hallmark must take responsibility and stop producing their e-waste generating cards!
Take Action. Tell Hallmark to Eliminate E-Waste Cards Now