FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brigitte Kantor, Lee
County Solid Waste Division
(941) 479-8764
LEE COUNTY SOLID WASTE LAUNCHES ITS FIRST CONSUMER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING PROGRAM
FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 24, 2001) – At the next Lee County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection this Saturday (July 28) in Cape Coral, Lee County Solid Waste will launch a pilot recycling program of consumer electronics. Up to three (3) electronic devices may be taken to the HHW collection. Accepted items are keyboards, printers, monitors, CPUs, scanners, televisions, VCRs, fax machines, etc.
The drop-off will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cape Coral Public Works Annex, 1750 Everest Parkway. Directions: From Del Prado turn east on S.E. 26th Street (the first light south of Veterans Memorial Parkway) and follow the signs. Other items accepted include fluorescent tubes, paints & thinners, pool chemicals, thermometers, polishers, strippers, auto fluids, pesticides, batteries, chemicals and fertilizers.
The addition of electronic devices for the purpose of recycling is possible through a grant awarded to Lee County by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The devices will be sent to a company that disassembles them and recycles the parts. Lee County’s Solid Waste Division will accept electronics at all upcoming HHW collections and even plans on holding a special collection exclusively for electronic devices. Time and place of future collections will be announced at a later date.
The rapid growth of Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment is of concern. The DEP’s current estimate of solid waste generated by electronics is 75,000 tons and the amount is expected to reach 300,000 tons by year 2005. The rapid innovation in technology is the reason for computer monitors and TVs quickly becoming obsolete. Materials of concern in these devices include lead, cadmium and chromium.
Lee County Solid Waste thanks those citizens who regularly participate in the household hazardous waste collection program. Lee County’s Solid Waste Division encourages those citizens who have not yet participated in to give it a try.