All of those obsolete or defective computers and televisions in the house can be properly disposed of when Delaware County holds a Household Hazardous Waste/E-Waste Recycling Event 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Upper Chichester Municipal Building, 8500 Furey, Upper Chichester.
This is the fourth and final Household Hazardous collection for 2012. Delaware County residents are invited to remove toxic products from their homes along with computers, televisions and other small electronic appliances and safely dispose of them at the Household Hazard Waste collection event.
There will be no other collection events until the spring of 2013, so if people are moving or cleaning out their homes, this is the perfect opportunity to dispose of household hazardous waste such as pesticides, propane tanks, gasoline, motor oil, fungicides and antifreeze.
Delaware County Recycling Manager Sue Cordes said residents should be aware that starting on Jan. 24, 2013, the Covered Device Recycling Act (CDRA) of 2010 will go into effect and it will be illegal to dispose of covered devices such as: computers, laptops, monitors and televisions curbside for trash pickups. Haulers will no longer be allowed to accept these items at the curb.
“Consequently the Oct. 13 collection is a good time to dispose of these electronic devices,” Cordes said. “With the growing number of electronic devices that are entering the waste stream, we saw a growing need to recycle these items responsibly.”
Rapid changes in technology, falling prices and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste. She said small appliances that will be accepted at the Oct. 13 event include stereo/DVD systems, microwaves/toasters, blenders/mixers, power tools, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, electric typewriters and adding machines. Items, which contain Freon, will not be accepted. Businesses are not eligible to participate.
Delaware County Council Vice-Chairman Mario J. Civera Jr., Council’s liaison to the Solid Waste Authority, said the Household Hazard Waste collection events provide opportunities for residents to dispose of household hazardous waste in a safe, environmentally-sound manner.
“Delaware County has always been environmentally conscious. Even before it was mandated, we started one of the first curbside recycling programs in the state in the 1970s,” Vice-Chair Civera said. “Now we recognize the importance of recycling or properly disposing of all of these electronic items, or e-waste. Some of these electronics contain elements that are contaminants and dangerous to our environment.”
It is estimated that the United States tosses away 3 million tons of electronics each year
In addition to e-waste, categories of products to take to the Household Hazardous Waste
Collections include: flammables, pesticides, caustics, rechargeable household batteries, lead-acid batteries and propane tanks which weigh less than 20 pounds.
Residents may also take oil-based paint, paint thinner, varnish, kerosene, gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, weed killers, fungicides, items containing mercury and cell phones.
Products which won’t be accepted at the collections are any unidentifiable waste, latex paint, asbestos, biological waste, explosives, gas cylinders, alkaline batteries, PCBs, pressurized CFCs and radioactive waste.
For additional information and a full list of recycling events and items that are accepted, visit the Delaware County website at www.co.delaware.pa.us and go to recycling, or call the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority at (610) 892-9627.
