FREE “E-waste” Collection Event Comes to Sand Ridge Nature Center on June 9th

What are the details about the event?

Sand Ridge Nature Center

15891 Paxton Ave.

South Holland, IL 60473

Saturday, June 9th

10AM to 2PM

Who can come to the event? Is there a fee?

Any residents of Illinois can drop off their E-waste at no charge.

What can I expect at the event?

Fast and efficient disposal. Traffic will be professionally directed at the site. Upon entering the site you can expect to drop off your electronics and be back on your way within just a few minutes!  You do not need to exit your car at any time. Our  courteous and professional trained staff will remove your electronics from your car.

What electronics can I bring?

• Personal computers, laptops, servers CRT monitors/LCD monitors/televisions (see exclusions)
• Cell phones
• Wire (including Christmas lights)
• Miscellaneous Electronic Equipment: Printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, hubs, keyboards/mice, mainframe equipment, modems, circuit boards, networking equipment,
• PCI cards, routers, switches, testing equipment, plotters, telephony equipment, UPS batteries and power supplies, MP3/MP4 players, CD players, DVD players, PDAs, electronic gaming systems, broadcast towers, base stations, cell tower switches, A/V cables, cable TV boxes, answering machines, camcorders, cameras, portable CD/DVD players; keyboards/mice, VCRs, security cameras and equipment, projectors, cordless telephones, calculators, stereos and equipment, pagers, walkie talkies

What electronics are NOT accepted at the event?

• White goods: refrigerators, freezers ovens/ stoves, microwaves, dishwashers and small kitchen appliances (blenders, food processors, electric can openers, toaster ovens, toasters etc)
• Vacuum cleaners, typewriters broken, cracked or partially dismantled monitors and TVs,  projection TVs or TVs with wood casin (due to weight and size equipment handling restrictions.)

Why recycle electronics?  What are the economic and environmental benefits of recycling E-waste?

As of January 2012, it is now illegal in Illinois to dispose of electronics in landfills. A new provision of The State of Illinois’ Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act came into effect on January 1, 2012. The broader public is now prohibited from disposing certain types of e-waste in municipal waste and sanitary landfills and at incinerators.

Why are electronics banned from landfills?

Electronics contain materials that can harm the environment but that are also valuable and can be reused. Many electronics contain harmful heavy metals such as lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium and cadmium, which can leak into ground water and contaminate it.

Used electronics also contain many valuable products such as plastic and tin/lead solder, among others, which can be reused. The reuse of these materials conserves natural resources, reduces water pollution, and reduces energy use and air pollution associated with greenhouse gas emissions.

Are there any other benefits to recycling electronics?

Yes, electronics recycling doesn’t just protect the environment. It creates jobs. The 2010 Recycling Economic Information Study Update for Illinois estimates that the total economic impact of recycling and reusing obsolete electronic products resulted in the creation of nearly 8,000 jobs and $622 million in annual receipts.

What happens to my electronics after I drop them off?

A certified full-service recycler safely and confidentially disposes of your electronics. USMe, the electronics division of metals reycler Universal Scrap Metals, has been contracted to manage the electronics collected at the event. USMe possesses several industry certifications including the R2 certification, the recycling industry’s standard for quality environmental and health and safety management systems.

Data on hard drives for any equipment to be re-marketed is removed through USMe’s proprietary Triple Treat ErasureSM process. If it is not possible to completely clear a drive, that drive is shredded. Other items are disassembled for parts and to retrieve valuable materials such as heavy metals. Materials are shipped to qualified re-processors who convert the material to raw materials for commodities.