Hazardous materials
• Many people discard computers every three years, and the average cell phone is replaced after just 18 months of use.
• That means 30-40 million electronic products from Kansans are disposed of each year. Most end up in the landfill where they take up precious space.
• Computer or television displays (CRTS) contain an average of 6 pounds of lead each.
• Other hazardous materials used in computers or other electronic devices include cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PVC plastic and brominated flame retardant.
Source: www.ksewaste.org.
St. Mark Lutheran Church in Great Bend will accept out-dated and broken electronic items for recycling from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 30. The church is located at 21st and Jackson St. This project is being done in cooperation with the Barton County Landfill, which also accepts “e-waste.”
For the May 30 event, items may be taken to the church parking lot on Jackson Street, said Connie Karlin at St. Mark Lutheran Church. “Parishioners and youth will be on hand to unload your items and remove and return your computer hard drives if you wish.”
Americans own nearly 3 billion electronic products, which adds up to a lot of E-waste in landfills over time. However, many electronic items can be recycled. The church is sponsoring this project in an effort to promote good stewardship of God’s Earth and e-waste recycling, Karlin said.
Items to be recycled include:
• Phones – both cell and cordless; charger cords
• Stereos
• Computer gaming consoles and games
• Computers and accessories (cords, mouse, etc.)
• Printers, fax, scanners
• Microwaves
• VCRs, MP3 players, radios, camcorders, copiers, answering machines etc.
Barton County Solid Waste Manager Phil Hathcock said the landfill accepts e-waste free of charge from households, schools and businesses in Barton County. All out-of-county customers must pay a fee of 10 cents per pound, which is what it costs the county to transport items to their next stop, the Lyons landfill.
“We have a partnership with Rice County,” Hathcock said. At Lyons, e-waste is packed on pallets and shipped to a recycling company.
There is a designated location at the Barton County Landfill for e-waste. When discarding an electronic item, keep the item intact. Use caution when handling; do not break the glass or drop it on the ground.
