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Erie County, partners collaborate on electronic waste recycling event

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Fri, Sep 4th 2015 09:50 am

Sept. 12 event provides safe, free disposal for computers, televisions, other electronics

The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, in conjunction with the GM Tonawanda Engine Plant and Advanced Technology Recycling, has announced a collection and recycling event for all types of electronic waste from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the GM Tonawanda Engine Plant, 2995 River Road in the Town of Tonawanda.

DEP has partnered with the GM Tonawanda Engine Plant on these no-cost collection events for the past eight years.

"We all need to do what we can to help protect the environment by taking personal responsibility and making sure our old computers, cell phones, televisions and other electronic devices with recyclable materials inside of them are put back into use instead of being dumped in a landfill or incinerated," Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said. "I am pleased that the successful partnership between our DEP, the GM Tonawanda Engine Plant and Advanced Technology Recycling is continuing again this year to provide a safe and easy way for Erie County residents to recycle electronics at no cost."

"The environment is very important to all employees at Tonawanda Engine Plant as well as General Motors," Plant Manager Steve Finch said. "We have partnered with Erie County on these recycling events for several years now and have prevented hundreds of tons of electronic waste from going into landfills. This is important to us as Tonawanda Engine has been a landfill-free manufacturing site since 2007 and we do everything we can to recycle and reuse manufacturing waste."

"UAW Local 774 is committed to improving the quality of our environment not only at our worksite, but within our community as well," Shop Chairman Bob Coleman said. "We hope everyone takes advantage of this great opportunity to clear their home of unwanted electronics by disposing it at our event."

Items accepted include: computers, printers, monitors, keyboards, cables and accessories, televisions (no broken glass), VCRs, radios, stereo equipment, cell phones, CD-ROM/floppy discs, digital cameras, scanners, fax machines, DVD players, cable/satellite receivers, circuit boards, video game systems and tablets.

Items that will not be accepted include: TVs with broken glass, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, household appliances, light bulbs, hazardous waste, pharmaceutical waste and commercially generated waste.

"I encourage anyone who has electronic waste in their home office, basement or garage to clean it out and bring it to this event," Poloncarz added. "As we've seen in the past, an event like this is usually quite popular and very well-attended, so I ask everyone to be patient while attending the drop-off event.

"My thanks go to the employees from the DEP as well as the GM Tonawanda Engine Plant who will ensure that this is a successful event."

The GM Tonawanda Engine Plant is located on River Road between Sheridan Drive and Edgar Avenue.

Every GM plant holds at least one such outreach event per year.

For more information, visit http://www2.erie.gov/environment/index.php?q=waste-management-and-recycling#Computer_Electronics.

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