–From Chattanooga Times Free Press–
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County is expanding its extensive recycling program to include electronic equipment.

The county will begin accepting what it’s calling “e-scrap” at its Peerless Road recycling center during usual business hours. Everything from desktop computers, fax machines and keyboards to CD-ROMs, medical equipment and more will be accepted.
The county chose the Peerless Road site because it has a covered area, officials said.
The announcement was made Friday at the Cleveland/Bradley County Keep America Beautiful annual awards breakfast.
KAB Executive Director Joanne Maskew reviewed the group’s accomplishments in the past year, including its first electronic recycling event in December 2008.
Ms. Maskew said KAB recycled more than 106 tons of waste, which she called a “phenomenal figure.”

That included aluminum cans, newspapers, mixed paper, cardboard, glass tires, batteries, white goods, items from the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day and electronics, she said.

She said she hopes the recycle numbers will double for next year.
“Let’s work with our local governments to see how we can expand or reinvent ways to get local citizens to think green and take action,” she said.

The county’s separate e-scrap recycle effort was announced on behalf of County Mayor D. Gary Davis.

See the full article here.

–Forwarded from Shawn Lindsey–
Keep McMinn Beautiful has announced the Annual Household Hazardous Waste Event on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 from 9am-1pm at McMinn County High School in the stadium/student parking lot. Please make every effort to attend this important event.
A complete list of accepted items can be found at the TDEC website or by calling the KMB office at 745-2086 for more details. Thank you for doing your part to keep McMinn beautiful, green and chemical free!
To see list of accepted items see the TDEC website here:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/hhw/hhwproducts.shtml

According to the MRM web site ( http://www.mrmrecycling.com/ ) the following locations in TN are open for electronics recycling collection.  MRM’s is a company seeking to provide convenient recycling opportunities to consumers. Their long-term goal is sustainable electronic product recycling.

27 Southeast Recycling Technologies, Inc.
108 Kwick Way
Gray, TN 37615
423-282-2022

28 U-Haul Hillwood Place
3741 Annex Ave
Nashville, TN 37209
615-356-2550
You must have a voucher to recycle at this site.
Click here for voucher.

29 Nashville / Davidson Metro PW
740 S. Fifth St.
Nashville, TN 37206
615-880-1000

30 Robertson County Solid Waste
2916 W. County Farm Road
Springfield, TN 37172
615-384-0683

31 White County Solid Waste
1 E. Bockman Way, Sparta, TN 38583
931-836-3552

Electronics Waste Recycling For Campus, Businesses, Governments & Schools
Apple, Inc is sponsoring an E-waste recycling event for the University of Tennessee and the Knoxville community. Bring old, unwanted electronics to the UT Agriculture Campus this Saturday.
Location: UT-Ag Campus, Parking lot CFN1 (Brehm Animal Science Ag Campus) and Parking lot 66 (behind veterinary hospital)
Time: 9am to 3pm  each day

For more information, see erecycle.utk.edu

–from Public Works Online–

A research group in China reports that discarded electronic hardware can be recycled through a process that separates toxic heavy metals from printed circuit boards (PCBs), leaving behind a fine, metal-free powder that can be added to virgin polymer to make asphalt modifier.  Will new technologies like this one be compliant with the BASAL network protocol?  This will be an interesting area to follow.  See the link to the Public Works Online article here.

–From SWANA Recycling and Special Waste Division, Josephine Valencia–

Have financial challenges prevented you from having a permanent HHW facility or curtailed the number of collection events you host? There are several low cost and even free disposal options for certain items.

The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), is a non profit that facilitates the nationwide collection of used, wall-mounted mercury-switch thermostats. Participating organizations pay only a one-time fee of $25 to obtain a collection bin. All other expenses are covered by TRC, which is funded by thermostat manufacturers. The TRC program is available to eligible participants throughout the continental United States and is taking steps to expand into Canadian provinces. Local governments are eligible and encouraged to participate in the program. http://www.nema.org/gov/ehs/trc/

As of February 1, 2009, Best Buy has expanded their in store electronics recycling program to all stores in the United States. There is a $10 charge for TVs, CRTs, monitors (maximum 32″), and laptops. There is no fee for other acceptable electronics. Residents can bring up to two items per household each day. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat149900050025

In June 2008, Hope Depot has expanded their compact fluorescent light bulbs recycling program to stores nationwide. Residents simply bring their used CFLS to the drop box located by the service desk. http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayTemplate?display=cfl_lander&langId=-15&storeId=10051&catalogId=10051

The Rechargeable Battery Corporation (RBRC) provides a free way to recycle rechargeable batteries and cell phones. Once you sign up, they will send collection boxes with pre-paid and pre-addressed shipping labels. http://www.rbrc.org/community/index.html

–EPA News Release–

PHILADELPHIA (January 29, 2009) – With the issue of climate change on everyone’s mind these days, people are looking for ways to cut down on energy use. Many people are turning to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

But there is also a concern because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury. One Pennsylvania resident recently emailed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region to ask what she should do:

“The problem with CFLs,” she wrote, “is that these bulbs contain mercury and they need to be disposed of properly but the box does not give any instructions. Should we be more concerned with energy saving or mercury hazards?

EPA’s electronics recycling specialist Dan Gallo, who responded to the question, says the benefits of lower energy consumption outweigh the disadvantages but “EPA promotes and encourages the safe disposal of old CFLs to prevent the release of mercury into the environment,”

“Although CFCs do contain mercury, it is present in trace amounts — five milligrams — an amount that would cover the tip of a ballpoint pen,” said Gallo. “It would take 100 CFLs to equal the amount of mercury contained in older thermometers, which is about 500 milligrams.”

The good news is that old CFC bulbs can be taken to Home Depot, IKEA and Ace Hardware for recycling. And Wal-mart is piloting a CFL recycling program at its stores in the Richmond, Va. area.

Since CFLs use 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs, if every American switched one incandescent bulb to a CFL, it would save more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 800,000 cars.

“Using CFLs is a quick and easy way for Americans to save energy and money everyday, while they also protect the environment,” Gallo said.

But if a bulb accidentally breaks, proper clean-up is necessary.

“The first thing you want to do is to get everyone out of room, including pets,” Gallo said. “Open a window to air out the room for at least 15 minutes. If you broke the bulb on a hard surface, take a piece of stiff paper or cardboard and scoop up as much of the debris and residue as you can.”

Gallo advises to use an old glove or sock to protect hands and then wipe up any remaining residue with a moist paper towel. “If you broke the bulb on a carpeted surface, you’ll want to use sticky tape to blot up any residue. Put everything in a plastic bag or a jar that can be sealed with a lid and dispose of it with the regular household trash.”

For more information on CFLs go to:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/index.htm

http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/faqs.htm

Contact Info: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov

With 99 million televisions in storage at the end of 2007 and flat panel sets already selling at a clip of 30 million per year, what’s going to happen to all the old TVs?

The Knoxville News Sentinel had a good article in the business section this past Sunday. The article describes the challenges ahead for finding safe disposal/recycling options for our discarded electronics.  See the full article at the link below.

Discarded TV’s

Governor Phil Bredesen and Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke announced today that 27 used oil collection grants totaling $399,850 have been awarded to establish, upgrade and expand used oil collection centers in communities across Tennessee.

“This straightforward approach to dealing with a potential cause of pollution has a direct positive impact on the water quality of our lakes, streams and groundwater in Tennessee,” Bredesen said. “I’m pleased we can provide these grants to encourage community collection centers where ‘do-it-yourselfers’ can conveniently recycle their used motor oil.”

Tennesseans who change their own motor oil generate more than one million gallons of used oil each year, which can pollute soil and water and interfere with the operation of sewer systems when not properly disposed. The General Assembly authorized the Used Oil Collection Act of 1993 to assist local communities in collecting used oil and reducing its negative effects on the environment. Tennessee’s Solid Waste Management Act requires counties to have at least one place in the county where used oil can be properly disposed. Used oil collection grants are funded by a two cent deposit on every quart of oil purchased in the state.

The first priority for grant funding is to establish collection sites in underserved areas. Other grants will fund improvement or replacement of equipment in existing public and private facilities. Equipment purchased through Oil Collection Grants can include containers, used oil burners, containment structures, shelter covers and other items.

See the list of recipients at the link here.

You also can visit http://tn.gov/environment/swm/oil/ or call toll-free at 1-800-287-9013 for more information concerning used oil collection centers, operating hours, requirements for collection locations that accept commercial used oil and other facts about used oil.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in DeKalb and Williamson Counties on Nov. 1.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, Nov. 1, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for each event.)

DeKalb County – DeKalb County Farmer’s Co-op in Smithville from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Gary Carter at (615) 597-5175.

Williamson County – Williamson County Administrative Complex in Franklin from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Lewis Bumpus at (615) 948-4805.

For more information on the household hazardous waste mobile collection service, please call
1-800-287-9013 or visit www.tn.gov/environment/swm/hhw.