WASHINGTON DC - Charitable organization Goodwill Industries will meet with Congress on June 25, in part to discuss problems related to the disposal of obsolete electronic products it receives as donations.

The organization's complaint is that nonprofit organizations collecting electronic goods are acting for the benefit of the community, and should not have to bear the financial burden of disposal.

According to a release, Goodwill states that it receives more than 27 million pounds of electronics in donations a year, and that up to 30% of this ends up as e-waste. While the agency attempts to refurbish, de-manufacture or resell donated computers and their components, it must dispose of unwanted electronics in landfills or pay to recycle them. The organization states that the cost of recycling or disposing of these products directly impacts their services in many communities.

The organization also states that it is also exploring solutions to the problem through pilot programs with Dell, local governments and other organizations, and has become the first charitable organization to join the Congressional E-waste Working Group, as well as House Energy and Environment Committee to attempt to develop federal electronics product stewardship legislation.