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This article was published 11 year(s) and 6 month(s) ago

Environmental ethics focus of recycling drive

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December 23, 2013 by [email protected]

LYNN – Televisions, computers, flat-screen monitors, all were collected and loaded into a truck Sunday afternoon. But these electronics weren’t headed for underneath a Christmas tree; they were being given back and recycled.”We’re going to be sure we capture the chemicals and toxic materials that are in these devices, rather than having it be released into the environment,” said Christopher Swain, organizer of the Ethical Electronics Recycling event Sunday at City Hall.The event also “gave back” in another way, as a percentage of proceeds will be donated to the local soup kitchen, My Brothers Table.”This time of year there’s a lot of need, so it’s tempting to do stuff for food pantries and other organizations,” Swain said, explaining that he usually holds the recycling events in conjunction with an educational program at local schools.Swain said the electronic-recycling event ensures that electronic devices and accessories – everything ranging from CDs and batteries to vending machines – are taken apart and recycled according to the highest environmental standards possible. And this means much more than just placing a television or an air conditioner into a metal recycling bin.Television screens can contain leaded glass and can be soldered with lead, Swain explained. Computers contain heavy metals. Coolant from refrigerators, dehumidifiers and other devices needs to be separated from the cable wires and other components; and consider how many electronics are encased in recyclable plastic.But Swain said many companies or consumers dispose of these electronics the easiest and least expensive way possible. Unfortunately, that can mean many electronics are shipped overseas where there are fewer restrictions on how to properly dispose of electronics, Swain said.”Most TVs are dumped offshore,” he said. Other electronics end up in landfills.But in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has developed very stringent requirements for recycling electronics and has certified certain recyclers which recycle each part of an electronic device to those standards, Swain said.Swain’s goal is to collect electronics locally and deliver them to these recyclers. He is even willing to arrange a pickup at your home for that unwieldy big-screen TV.While much of the hassle and cost of collecting, storing and delivering the electronics is borne by Swain, customers do pay fees – from $30 for large household appliances, such as refrigerators, to $5 per small container of CDs – for some devices to ensure they are recycled properly. (Cell phones and most kinds of computers are accepted free, as Swain explained the high cost of heavy metals and other commodities make it worthwhile for manufacturers to recover these components.)So Swain routinely donates a portion of the proceeds to charity or a local school. For this event, he chose My Brothers Table.”I had some stuff lying around and just like My Brother’s Table,” Stephanie Bartelt, of Lynn, said, handing over a television.And recycling electronics doesn’t just mean that the broken television in the basement can finally get broken down.”We’re looking to take home a TV,” said Paul Sullivan. He and his wife, Cheri, said they were just walking by City Hall when they saw a large screen television that would be ideal for their Washington Street apartment.”As long as it works and they bring it home, otherwise it usually goes directly to storage,” Swain said.After all, he noted, that if somebody else takes something home, that’s recycling, too.

  • cmoulton@itemlive.com
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