Dump site planned Saturday for electronics
By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on November 9, 2004 2:00 PM
Ready to get rid of those old computers, televisions or other electronic gadgets?
Instead of throwing them away, Keep Wayne County Beautiful is urging Wayne County residents to save them until Saturday.
KWCB is holding its fall electronics recycling day Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot at Sam's Club.
The organization usually holds two electronics recycling days a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. In March, more than 30,000 pounds of electronics were dropped off at the site.
Simonne Cato, executive director of KWCB, said that several people and even some businesses had been asking about when the next electronics recycling day would be held.
"People are very interested in recycling their old electronics," she said.
KWCB works with Franklin's Recycling Co. to hold the event.
Franklin Smith, owner of Franklin's Recycling, said his company started as a way to keep harmful electronics out of the landfill.
"Some of the computers and printers we take apart for parts," he said. "Our idea is to keep it out of the landfill. The glass and the lead is not biodegradable. But on a computer or printer, the metals all can be reused. Everything can be recycled."
Items collected included traditional consumer electronics, such as computers, printers, keyboards and scanners. Items also covered televisions, VCRs, stereos and fax machines, digital cameras and cellular phones.
No appliances are accepted.
Ms. Cato said that one of the biggest environmental threats from disposed electronic equipment is the leakage of lead from cathode ray tubes into the groundwater. They are funnel-shaped glass tubes with a metal frame inside that are housed in computer monitors and televisions.
"It takes the cooperation, support, interest and energy of every person, business, industry and organization to improve the quality of life in Wayne County," said Ms. Cato. "Keep Wayne County Beautiful encourages everyone to participate on whatever basis they are able."
If your business has a large amount of electronics to be recycled contact KWCB at 731-1600.