Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Improve The Environment

The following reminder is from Representative Mike Tryon:

“Beginning January 1, it will no longer be legal for individuals to dispose of unwanted electronics in their regular trash.

“Discarded electronics, including computers, monitors, electronic keyboards, scanners, fax machines and many other electronic devices, must now be taken to a registered recycler for proper management. It will be illegal for the consumer to dispose of them in the trash and it will be illegal for Illinois landfills to accept them.

“This newest phase of electronics disposal will include individual citizens in the effort to keep electronics, which contain a variety of potentially toxic contaminants, out of the state’s 48 active landfills.

“A 2007 report showed that electronic products were the fastest growing portion of the solid waste stream. That year, three million tons of electronic products became obsolete, yet only 14 percent of those products were recycled. During calendar year 2011, electronics manufacturers are being required to collect and recycle or refurbish more than 28 million pounds of products. The reuse of these products, including metals, plastics and glass, conserves natural resources and saves energy. 

“The Illinois EPA maintains a web site at: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/electronic-waste-recycling/index.html, which explains requirements for individuals and for manufacturers, a list of registered collectors, as well as a complete listing of all electronic items.

“Additional information can be found under "Electronics information" in the McHenry County Green Guide www.mchenry.edu/recycling.

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