LIHU‘E — There is still time for schools, nonprofits, government agencies and small businesses to register for free electronics recycling through the University of Hawai‘i’s Education and Government eWaste Disposal Days program, a press release states.
The event is at Kaua‘i Community College in Puhi Oct. 27 to 29. A public drop-off is Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no pre-registration requirement.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Electronic waste contributes 70 percent of the toxins found in U.S. landfills (lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.), while only contributing 2 percent of the volume of materials in landfills.”
Computers, cell phones, televisions and other electronics contain hazardous elements such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, germanium, lead, mercury, silver, or zinc.
The university’s ewaste recycling program is designed to prevent these toxic materials from being released into soil, groundwater and air.
See www.hawaii.edu/ewaste for pre-registration forms for daily drop-off slots from Oct. 27 to 29 at seven locations on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Maui and the Big Island.
The UH Education and Government eWaste Disposal Days program is open to:
— All public or private schools or universities;
— All county, state and federal/military branches;
— Small to medium-sized businesses (of less than 100 employees);
— Nonprofit organizations.
Education & Government eWaste Disposal Days 2010 provides an opportunity for safe and environmentally friendly disposal of ewaste regardless of the manufacturer, free of charge, the release states.
All equipment collected will be processed in North America in an environmentally responsible way and recycled into commodity-grade materials such as metals, plastics and glass.
Recycling and disposal services are provided courtesy of Apple.
Acceptable eWaste includes computer monitors, keyboards, laptops, central processing units, wires, cables, cell phones, a wide variety of office equipment and audio and video equipment.
Microwaves, smoke detectors, cracked or broken CRT (cathode ray tube) screens, hairdryers, and any other hazardous materials are not accepted.
