Jackson schedules e-cycling event next month

Computer equipment, appliances and other large items, which often aren't suitable for recycling, will be accepted at the Jackson Recycling Center during a four-hour "e-cycling" event next month.

The event will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. June 5 at Jackson's recycling facility, 510 Sawyer Lane.

"This special recycling effort is an opportunity for (area) citizens and businesses to dispose of obsolete or unusable electronic items, small and large appliances and other metal objects," said Jackson administrative services director Rodney Bollinger in an email about the event.

Electronics, Bollinger said, have become one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States, with an estimated 2 million tons of computers and other electronics discarded annually. However, only about 20% of those materials are recycled, he said.

"If you have recently purchased electronic equipment or appliances that replace old or broken items, do your part to help reduce the amount of e-waste handled as just plain trash," he said. "Why clog landfills with discarded computers, DVD players, cellphones, digital cameras, TVs, gaming systems, appliances, and all those other worn out electronic items when it's so easy to e-cycle, which is good for the environment and saves taxpayer money?"

Examples of items that will be accepted during the e-cycling event include lawn mowers and lawn tractors after gas tanks and engine oil have been drained, air conditioners, barbecue grills, water heaters, ranges, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, microwave ovens, small appliances, laptop computers, monitors, televisions, computers, keyboards, printers, fax machines, scanners, speakers, cameras, VCRs, DVD players and gaming systems.

Also accepted will be musical equipment, wires, cables, power supplies, radios, turntables, typewriters, word processors, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, curling irons, hair dryers, fans, vacuum cleaners, lead, and rechargeable batteries (car, tractor, boat, cellphone, laptop, etc.).

Items that will not be accepted include any regular "trash" material; AAA, AA, C or D size batteries; tires; radioactive materials; items containing mercury; and any other hazardous waste items.

Personnel from Midwest Recycling Center of Imperial, Missouri, will be on hand at the e-cycling event to accept and unload recyclable materials. All computer hard drives will be shredded or erased using U.S. Department of Defense-approved software, Bollinger said.

While there will be no charge for disposal of most materials, there will be fees for disposal of some items, including:

• Picture tube-type televisions, 26-inch or smaller — $30.
• Picture tube-type televisions, 27-inch or larger (including projection TVs, wood consoles and other console televisions of any screen size — $50.
• LCD, LED and plasma flat-screen TVs (all sizes) — $20.
• Tube-type computer monitors — $5.
• Any item containing Freon — $10.

More information is available by contacting the Jackson Public Works Department at (573) 243-2300. E-cycling information may also be found at www.ecyclemo.org.

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