Scott County to try e-cycling event

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County residents will soon have an opportunity to recycle their electronics locally.

From 8 a.m. until noon Dec. 5, Ozark Green Recycling will be accepting computers and computer parts, such as CPUs, monitors, keyboards, mice and printers, and other electronics, such as televisions, stereos, cell phones and hand-held devices, radios, VCRs and DVD players, at 417 North Main in Sikeston, Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said during the Scott County Commission's regular meeting Tuesday.

"It's Carnell's lot there on the corner of North Main and Tanner," Ziegenhorn said. "A truck will be there to receive any of these items."

The electronics drop-off program for recycling is "kind of a pilot to see if it's something people want to do," he said. "If this works well in Sikeston, then we can possibly get it for Benton and Chaffee."

Ozark Green Recycling, an electronic waste recovery center located in Birch Tree in south-central Missouri, is registered with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to serve the Ozarks and southeast Missouri. The pickup was arranged through the Bootheel Solid Waste Management District, according to Ziegenhorn.

While most of the items can be dropped off for free, there is a $10 fee for TVs and computer monitors to cover the cost of disposing of the lead in CRT glass.

Ziegenhorn said this e-cycle program is just one example of how Scott County benefits from being a part of the Bootheel Solid Waste Management District even in years in which the county does not receive direct grant funding.

Scott County received funding from the district for 2006, 2007 and 2008, according to Ziegenhorn, but was advised they wouldn't receive solid waste grant funding for 2009 so did not apply.

"Sheltered workshops got most of it this year," he said. "We will apply again this year for some 2010 funding."

Ziegenhorn said other examples of benefits the county receives from the Bootheel Solid Waste Management District include the the Sikeston Sheltered Workshop providing pallets for sandbagging operations during flooding responses and the Dexter Sheltered Workshop picking up the county's paper for recycling without charge.

"That's worked out well - recycling the paper at the courthouse," Ziegenhorn said.

For more information about the e-cycle program in Scott County contact Dale Atchley, president of Ozark Green Recycling, by calling 573-953-1199 or visit www.ozarkgreen.com.