LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – Obsolete electronic equipment discarded by consumers represents 2 percent of the trash dumped every year in Americaʼs landfills.
However, it also represents 70 percent of the toxic waste thrown out by individuals and businesses. Recycling of electronic equipment can help manage this risk to public health.
The Regional Recycling District in Pulaski County will hold an electronics recycling collection on April 25 and April 26, at the Verizon Arena VIP parking lot on E. Washington Avenue in North Little Rock. From 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., Pulaski County residents and businesses can bring electronic items from computers and printers to televisions, copiers, cell phones, microwaves and coffee makers.
The Recycling District will unload the items and recycle them for free. The event “According to the EPA, e-waste is the fastest growing municipal waste stream in the country,” Douglass said. “Our Unplugged event is designed to take back this equipment and recycle it to get it out of the waste stream and out of landfills.”
The Regional Recycling District partners with eSCO, a full-service electronics recycling recovery firm. The local company, with locations in Rogers and Little Rock, ensures secure data destruction on all electronic components, such as computer and mobile-device hard drives.
RecyclingUnplugged.com FACT Sheet
1. Each year since 2015, discarded or thrown away electronics, including TVs, computers, miscellaneous office equipment (printers, scanners, fax machines) mice, keyboards, and cell phones totaled over 9 million tons.
2. The most recent statistics indicate that approximately 42 million tons of ewaste was generated worldwide. The quantity included 13 million tons of small equipment, 12 million tons of large equipment, 7 million tons of temperature exchange equipment (freezing and cooling equipment), over 6 million tons of screens and monitors, 3 million tons of small IT, and 1 million tons of lamps. The amount of worldwide e-waste generation is expected to be 50 million tons in 2018 with an annual 4-5 percent growth.
3. E-waste represents 2% of America's trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste.
4. Cell phones and other electronic items contain high amounts of precious metals like gold or silver. Americans trash phones each year containing over $60 million in precious metals.
5. A large number of what is labeled e-waste is actually not waste at all, but rather whole electronic equipment or component parts that are readily marketable for reuse, or can be recycled for materials recovery.
6. Only 12.5% of e-waste is currently recycled.
7. For every 1 million cell phones recycled, 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium can be covered.
8. Recycling 1 million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year.
9. E-waste is still the fastest growing municipal waste stream in America, according to the EPA.
10.It takes 530 pounds of fossil fuel, 48 pounds of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of water to manufacture one computer with monitor.
11.Electronic items that are considered to be hazardous include, but are not limited to: televisions and computer monitors that contain a cathode ray tube (CRTs that contain over four pounds of lead each), LCD desktop monitors, LCD televisions, plasma televisions, portable DVD players with LCD screens, LCD televisions, portable DVD players with LCD screens.
12.The Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District in Pulaski County is hosting Electronics Recycling Unplugged on Wednesday, April 25, and Thursday, April 26, at the Verizon Arena VIP parking lot on E. Washington Avenue in North Little Rock. Event hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day.
13.The District helps protect the public health and the quality of our shared environment by empowering local Arkansans to reduce, reuse and recycle, thus conserving resources.
14.Electronics Recycling Unplugged is a FREE event for residences, businesses, non-profit organizations, churches and schools located in Pulaski County only. A valid Arkansas driver’s license or ID is required.
15.Drive up, drop off and we’ll recycle for FREE: Computers and Accessories • CRT Monitors • LCD Displays • CPUs • Laptops • Servers • Switches • UPS Systems • Wires and Cables • Keyboards and Mice • Speakers • Hard Drives (all hard drives will be securely destroyed) Audio/Video Equipment • Televisions • Radios • DVD players • VCRs • Stereos • Camcorders • Cameras • Radios • Game systems Handheld Devices • Cell phones • Pagers • PDAs • Two-way radios Office Equipment • Fax machines • Copiers • Printers and scanners • Surge protectors • Telephones • Typewriters • Adding machines and calculators Household Appliances • Microwaves • Coffee makers • Toasters • Hair dryers • Vacuum cleaners
16.Participants in the Electronics Recycling Unplugged special collection with large quantities (over five items) should bring materials palletized, in Gaylord boxes, or have at least two people to assist with unloading.
17.The Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District in Pulaski County does not accept electronics from businesses that accept electronics for profit.
18.All electronics collected are properly disposed of and securely handled. No materials are given away or sold.
19.All hard drives are securely destroyed onsite by our recycling partner, eSCO, using an electronic shredder.
20.Special collections done by the Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District since 2004, along with participation by the citizens, businesses and organizations in Pulaski County, have diverted over six million pounds of electronics from county landfills.