Best Buy's e-cycle program is ambitious, successful and financially unsustainable

The retailer's popular e-waste program has turned into a cautionary tale for businesses navigating the challenges of the recycling economy

• The new bottom line: money is no longer a dirty word in sustainability
• Science will help push companies towards a low-carbon future

In 2009, Best Buy began an electronics recycling program that has since become the centerpiece of the retail giant's sustainability effort. To date, the retailer has accepted junky gadgets and appliances from anyone - not just customers - for free. But it now appears the popular program isn't as profitable as Best Buy would like it to be.

Earlier this month, the retailer announced it would start charging customers $25 for every television and computer monitor dropped off at a retail outlet as part of its in-store recycling program. Because of this, Best Buy will no longer accept television and computer monitors from customers in Pennsylvania and Illinois, as both states prohibit companies from collecting fees to help defray recycling costs. It will still recycle hundreds of other items for free.