WINTHROP – The Winthrop Congregational Church is organizing a day for collection and recycling of old and broken electronics. eWaste will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, in the Winthrop Grade School parking lot on Highland Avenue. The event is open to residents from any Maine community and items may be recycled with donations gratefully accepted.
The Winthrop Congregational Church is partnering with eWaste Recycling Solutions, LLC of Auburn, which will bring a team to pack and transport televisions, computers, monitors and other electronic devices. ERS is approved by the Department of Environmental Protection and will man the collection site at no cost to the church. Maine is one of the few states that mandates electronic waste be recycled. Proper recycling and disposal of e-waste removes tons of hazardous waste, like lead, cadmium and mercury that otherwise is often buried or incinerated.
Church members will help with traffic, parking and unloading vehicles. The primary focus is on collecting electronic devices and lighting and other universal waste, including televisions (all sizes), CPUs, monitors, copiers, printers (and ink cartridges), fax machines, scanners, laptops, stereos, keyboard/mouse/peripherals, DVD players, CD players, cell phones, telephones, two-way radios, answering machines, remote controls, VCRs, projectors, tape players, PDAs, speakers, digital cameras, camcorders, electric typewriters, game systems, medical electronics, pagers, microwaves and toner cartridges. Appliances and white goods, freon-bearing items, fluorescent bulbs and mercury-bearing items will not be accepted.
Recycling is available for Maine individuals. As a result of passage of L.D. 981, businesses may deliver covered items at this event. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees are exempt from fees while businesses with more than 100 employees may drop off items for a fee. Any business wishing to deliver more than seven covered items, or who would like information on fee structures, must call Rick Clark at ERS at 615-3099 prior to the event.
For more information, contact Debbie Burns at the church office by phone at 377-2063 or by email at wccucc@fairpoint.net or visit the church’s website at www.wccucc.org.
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