An Electronics Clean Out and E-Cycling Event
Electronics Clean Out Day, which provides area residents with an environmentally friendly and convenient recycling option, takes place on Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 8am to 2pm. The event, now in its third year, focuses on the recycling of computers, computer equipment, small appliances, and electronics.
In the past two years, over 28,000 lbs. of materials have been collected and kept out of area landfills. Due to this success, ECO Day expands from one location to a total of five locations this year:
• Roanoke: Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op at 1319 Grandin Road SW in Grandin Village
• Salem: Yokohama Tire Corporation at 1500 Indiana Street
• Christiansburg: Wade’s Supermarket at 510 Roanoke Street
• Radford: Wade’s Supermarket at 401 West Main Street
• Harrisonburg: Friendly City Food Co-op at 150 East Wolfe Street
Drive-thru donation lanes will be set up at each location for quick, convenient, and safe donation.
The event is a collaboration between Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Clean Valley Council, Natural Awakenings Magazine, Friendly City Food Co-op, Yokohama Tire Corporation, Wade’s Supermarket, go green NRV, and Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. The goal is to keep computers, computer related equipment, electronics, small appliances, and more out of area landfills and help protect the environment.
Acceptable items for the Fall E.C.O. day include, but are not limited to:
• Desktop and Laptop Computers: any brand, any condition. It is recommended that donors remove all data from hard drives and other storage media before donating to Goodwill.
• Computer Related Equipment: (any brand, any condition) monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners, fax machines, ink & toner cartridges, computer cords & cables, and any other related equipment.
Small Appliances: toasters, microwaves, blenders, coffee makers, mixers, vacuums, food processors.
• Electronics: Clocks, radios, cell phones, PDAs.
• TVs in working condition
Goodwill will be the recipient of donations and recyclable items. Through Goodwill’s partnership with Dell Computers, called Dell RECONNECT, computers and related equipment are responsibly recycled, with proceeds benefiting Goodwill job training and employment programs. Other items collected will either be sold in local Goodwill stores or recycled responsibly with local recyclers.
“Electronics Clean Out Day is a great collaboration with local organizations and businesses that educates the public about the importance of recycling and keeping items out of area landfills,” said Mark Britain, VP of Donated Goods Operations for Goodwill. “The success of the event has shown that many people welcome ECO Day as a way to recycle their old computers and electronics. However, we also utilize the event to create awareness of the fact that we accept these items at any Goodwill Donation Center every day.”
