BALTIMORE, MD (APRIL 19, 2002) – Starting this weekend Marylanders have multiple opportunities to properly dispose of or recycle end of life consumer electronics—just in time for Earth Day, which is Monday April 22.
Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) announces eCycling collection events in Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford, Worcester Counties and the Mid-Shore region. eCycling is a year-long partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region III states--Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia--to recycle obsolete and unwanted electronics.
The eCycling project aims to offer a long-term solution to end-of-life electronics management by collecting televisions and computers (including monitors, keyboards, speakers printers, scanners, mouses, cables, modems and external disc drives). Data generated from eCycling events will guide the development of a cost effective and sustainable collection system to remove end-of-life computer equipment and televisions from the municipal waste stream.
“Local governments, citizens and future generations will benefit from the environmental impact of eCycling by reducing the amount of toxics entering the waste stream, saving landfill space, and conserving natural resources,” said MDE Secretary Jane T. Nishida.
Nationally, more than 20 million personal computers became obsolete in 1998. That number is expected to grow to an estimated 315 million by 2004. Additionally, obsolete electronics contain elements such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. If not handled properly, these toxic substances can be released into the environment. Following are Earth Week eCycling collection events for residents of those counties:
Allegany County
April 20, 2002, 9 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Allegany County Office Complex, 701 Kelly Road in Cumberland, *Notice $.75 fee for complete computer systems and all television sets. Individual components will cost $.25 each. Only the following items will be accepted: televisions, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mouses, external disc drives, computer speakers, modems, remotes and cables. For more info call: (301) 777-5933 x210
Baltimore County
April 27, 10 a.m. - 2.p.m., Oregon Ridge Park, Main Parking Lot in Cockeysville. For more info call: 410 887-2791 or ctrombetti@co.ba.md.us
Carroll County
April 27, 8 a.m. - 2.p.m., Northern Landfill, 1400 Baltimore Blvd., Westminster. For more info call: (410) 386-2633
Cecil County
April 20, 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Cecil Central Landfill, Route 7, in Northeast. For more info call: (410) 996-6275 or jkeithley@ccgov.org.
Harford County
April 20, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Swan Harbor Farm, Oakington Road, in Havre de Grace. For more info call: (410) 638-3417.
Midshore Region (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties)
in conjunction with Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event and Queen Anne's County Earth Day Celebration: April 21, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 231 Ruthsburg Road, Bus Loop adjacent to Centreville Middle School in Centreville. For more info call: (410) 758-6605 or jwood@friendly.net
Worcester County
in conjunction with Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event: April 20, 10 a.m. - 2. p.m., Town of Ocean City's Park & Ride Lot (off Rt. 50 just west of Rt. 50 bridge crossing into Ocean City). For more info call: (410) 632-3177.
Permanent collections are located in Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George's counties.
For more information on the EPA Region III States eCycling Project, cell phone recycling, and eCycling resources for communities and businesses, visit MDE’s web site at: www. mde.state.md.us and look for the eCycling logo.
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