Jackson's annual e-cycle event June 5

The City of Jackson announced Thursday its annual e-cycle event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 5 at the Sanitation Department.

This special recycling effort is an opportunity for citizens and businesses to dispose of obsolete or unusable electronic items, small and large appliances and other metal objects.

At the e-cycle event, items accepted include discarded computers, DVD players, cell phones, digital cameras, TVs, gaming systems, all appliances, grills, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, curling irons, rechargeable batteries and all those other worn out electronic items.

Items not accepted include AAA, AA, C, or D type batteries, tires, radioactive materials, items containing mercury and any other hazardous waste items.

Midwest Recycling Center, a Missouri Department of Natural Resources and R2 nationally certified vendor, from Park Hills, will be conducting all e-cycling activities that day, using approved waste management practices. All accepted items will be unloaded by Midwest's personnel. All hard drives from computers are shredded or erased using U.S. Department of Defense-approved software.

According to a news release from the city, electronics have become one of the fastest growing waste streams because of electronic products entering the market more quickly, resulting in consumers replacing their older models more often.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates more than two million tons of computers and other electronics are disposed of each year. Currently, only about 20% of these materials are recycled. Electronic material can be diverted from landfills by being recycled, which benefits the environment and saves taxpayer money.

Certain TVs, monitors and items containing Freon will come at a charge to recycle. All other accepted recyclable material can be disposed of at no charge to participants.

For more information, please contact the Jackson Public Works Department at (573) 243-2300, Midwest Recycling at (636) 223-0150, inquire online at www.jacksonmo.org or e-mail recycle@jacksonmo.org. Missouri e-cycling information can also be found at www.ecyclemo.org.