Electronic Recycling is Easy

Each year, millions of tons of old, outdated electronics are placed in trash cans and dumpsters and sent to the curb. Their final destination – the landfill. Electronics contain all kinds of toxins like lead, beryllium, cadmium, and lithium. These toxins, once placed in a landfill, have only one place to go and that is down. They go down into our soil and down into our ground water. They don’t disappear. This is not a case of “out-of-sight, out of mind”. The problem is real. It is also avoidable.

Several communities offer quarterly (and in some cases – monthly) electronics recycling drop offs for their residents. They do this in partnership with a state-registered electronics recycler. Sometimes a small fee is charged for older CRT/TVs but often times even this fee is waived. Anything else that plugs in to a wall or runs off of a battery is usually accepted free of charge. This is a great time to discard older, outdated electronics in a responsible manner.  Normally, these events are held during the weekends but the sponsoring recyclers typically keep Mon-Saturday business hours where the electronics can be dropped off. For a complete list of electronic recyclers in your area visit http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/electronics/recyclerlist.htm . State registered electronics recyclers are audited annually by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources so rest assured – your electronics are being handled responsibly.

In our home we have four plastic waste bins – garbage, plastic, paper/cardboard, and glass. Recently we set up a plastic bin in the garage labeled “Electronics/metals”. We have significantly reduced the amount of “real” landfill waste we are sending out each week. The electronic/metal waste bin, once full, goes with me to work and is recycled responsibly by my company.

My company, RNA Worldwide LLC has locations in Belleville, IL and Arnold, MO and are open for drop offs Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. Saturdays we are open from 9am until 1pm. All drop-offs are free of charge. We also offer free pickups for businesses in the St. Louis and Belleville areas. For more info call 314-807-6397 or visit our website at www.rnaworldwide.com

Keeping it green,

Scottie Farrow