The weather is changing, and spring cleaning is upon us. That means it’s time to clean your home out of old televisions, computers, cameras, cell phones, vacuum cleaners, and other pieces of electronic equipment. An electronics recycling event is being held this Saturday, April 29th at the Central Peninsula Landfill in Soldotna from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cook Inler Keeper and ReGroup of the Kenai Peninsula are hosting the event. There is a suggested donation of $15 for the recycling of computer monitors, LCD TVs, as well as older CRT tube TVs and all vacuums. Businesses, schools, tribes, nonprofits, or government agencies wishing to participate are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling 907-252-2773. ReGroup states that all items will be accepted, regardless of ability to pay.
ReGroup of the Kenai Peninsula says that electronic recycling is an important step in transitioning away from an extractive economy – closing our materials loop and reusing what we already have is critical to help protecting watersheds for the long haul.
Additionally, there will be an electronics recycling event in Homer also scheduled for Saturday. It will be at Spenard Builders Supply in Homer from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Accepted items include computers, electronics and vacuums. To volunteer or schedule an appointment for business, school, tribe, nonprofit or government agency, email recycle@inletkeeper.org. There will be a $15 suggested donation for TVs and monitors. All items will be accepted regardless of ability to pay.
There are several benefits to electronic recycling, which include saving landfill space and some of the recyclable items have contaminants in them that need to be handled properly for the safety of coworkers, families, and the environment. Another benefit to recycling electronics is that items can be repurposed. For those worried about the security of giving up old hard drives, either separately or in old computers, the organizers of the event recommend visiting a local computer technician for assistance. Simply formatting the hard drive does not mean data cannot be recovered from it, but there are solutions to make the process safe and secure.