Oregon got a jump on its 2009 New Year's resolution by launching a state-wide electronic recycling program on January 1st.

Dubbed Oregon E-Cycles, the initiative seeks to combat e-waste going to landfills and taking tons of toxics like lead, cadmium and mercury with them. If you don't get what all the e-waste fuss is about, 60 Minutes did a compelling story on all the junk electronics being sent overseas to wreak havoc on local environments and communities.

Every county and many cities in Oregon will have free collection centers for defunct computers, monitors, and TVs (sorry no peripherals or cell phones). Of course, the state highly recommends that you wipe that hard drive before bringing it to the donation site.

The program is being paid for by electronics manufacturers, which must register with the state and pay a fee that funds the program. It isn't just PR, though. It will be illegal to trash computers, monitors and TVs starting January 1st 2010.

In April, I blogged on the tricky transition from recycling to e-cycling, mentioning that Ontario was considering a fee on manufacturers to pay for electronic recycling depots. Oregon has now joined 16 other states in passing e-cycling laws and I'm positive more will follow.

The only factor that gives me pause is the reaction of consumers when they figure out that manufacturers and stores are bolting these added costs onto their HDTVs.

Photo Credit: Flickr user S Baker