The Rome/Floyd Recycling Center is holding another computer/electronics recycling day at the State Mutual Baseball Stadium on Saturday. October 14, 2006 from 9am – 2pm. This is your opportunity to get all those old computers, televisions, phones and other electronics into an environmentally appropriate recycling stream.
Did you know that most of these items contain hazardous and toxic materials that don’t need to go into our landfills? Things like - lead in monitors and televisions; brominated flame retardants in plastic housings; mercury in batteries, switches and flat screens; arsenic in transistors and printed circuit boards; as well as cadmium, chromium, beryllium, nickel, zinc and lithium. These materials need to be handled by people properly trained to deal with them, which is why we contract with vendors specializing in recycling electronic equipment. At this event 5R Processors will take the equipment, perform data swipes on all computers, refurbish units that can be, disassemble 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. This company is also willing to go directly to a business or institution that might have a large amount of computer equipment that needs to be properly disposed of. You may contact them directly for more information on that service at 770.482.1744 or e mail at kstephens@5rltd.com
The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and their newer, better, more innovative products are being heartily received by the consumer. Of course, as technology improves it makes sense that the public would desire to purchase the latest in computers, televisions, phones and other electronics. Products get smaller or faster or have more bells and whistles or just look “cooler”. It is estimated that in 2006 there will be about 300 million computers, 250 million cell phones, and countless millions of other electronics discarded – this is an awesome volume of potentially hazardous stuff. So the challenge we all face is – how do we capture those discards and dispose of them in an environmentally appropriate manner?
One way is to organize these electronic recycling events and try to get as many people as possible to participate in them. Other options are being offered by the computer manufacturers themselves. Each year sees an increase in the number of manufacturers establishing recycling take back programs for their equipment. Be sure to ask at your local retailer what types of offers are available. Also, you can check out the Recycling Center’s website for direct links to some of these companies’ programs. Visit www.romefloydrecycles.org for more information. Hope to see you on October 14 at the Stadium for the electronics recycling collection. The next event will probably be held after the big Christmas push on new electronics during January of 2007, so if you miss this one, please save those computers and televisions until then. For more information you can call us at 706.291.5266.