November 15th is National America Recycles Day and our community is sponsoring several important events to participate in this National program. The first is a free residential Computer/Television/Electronics recycling day. On Saturday, November 13 you can bring those old computers, televisions and other electronics to the State Mutual Baseball Stadium (Rome Braves Stadium). The Recycling Center has contracted with a vendor specializing in recycling electronic equipment so we are able to offer this free event from 9am – 2pm to all residents from Floyd, Chatooga, Bartow, Gordon, Polk, Whitfield and Cherokee counties. Mark5R Processors will take the equipment, perform data swipes on all computers, refurbish units that can be, dissemble the others and then recycle or properly dispose of whatever is left. In their agreement with us, they certify that none of this material gets sent overseas to add to the problem of dumping hazardous materials on other countries. The hazardous materials, or toxins, contained in electronic equipment include: lead in monitors and televisions; brominated flame retardants in the plastic housings; mercury in batteries, switches and flat screens; arsenic in transistors and printed circuit boards; cadmium, chromium, beryllium, nickel, zinc and lithium. All very good reasons to bring your old electronics to this one day recycling event and help protect the environment from these materials.
The Recycling Center also recognizes a select number of organizations each year for America Recycles Day for their continued commitment to environmentally responsible waste handling practices through recycling. This year there will be a luncheon on November 19, 2004 to honor: BIG TIME PRODUCTS; CAPITOLINE PRODUCTS, INC.; D & D OIL; GARNER & GLOVER COMPANY; BUSTER GOSS BODY SHOP; PROVINO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT; RANSOM FLORAL COMPANY; ROMAN WHEELCHAIR; WESTERN SIZZLIN; ZARTIC, INC. These companies have gone that extra step to set a standard in waste handling that other organizations can model after and we want them to know that their efforts are valued.
And finally, we want to help promote everyone’s participation in the annual drawing for AMERICA RECYCLES DAY prizes, the top national prize being Ford Motor Company’s Escape Hygrid SUV with a full gasoline/electric power train. There are also 5 recycled aluminum content Trex 24 speed bicycles being given away along with a lot of cool state prizes. All you need to do in long on to www.americarecyclesday.org and click the enter the contest tab. Or you can visit the Rome/Floyd Recycling Center and ask for a paper entry at any time between now and Tuesday, November 30, 2004.
AMERICA RECYCLES DAY is intended to help raise the awareness of as many people as possible to the fact that they can have a positive impact on our environment in their daily choices on waste handling. Recycling can make a difference in your world.