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The reception is clear, recycling is here
By: Shawn Patrick
9News
June 28, 2008
DENVER - From old TVs and computers to stereos and DVD players, a parking lot in Denver turned into one large outdoor closet on Saturday.
Residents dropped off their old electronic equipment outside the Tivoli Student Union Center at the Auraria Campus Saturday morning.
"I had some old TVs that I was going to repair, and I never got around to it, so I wanted to get rid of them," said Burt Vance.
Few people knew what to do with the old analogs.
"You don't know where to take it or how much it would cost," said Stacy Gahn.
For a $5 fee, residents could drop off a TV or computer monitor.
"We are getting more calls everyday to Denver Recycles and Greenprint Denver from Denver citizens saying, 'How do we get rid of these?" said Darryn Zuehlke with the city of Denver.
Recycling companies will ship the electronic waste to facilities next week to take apart the metals, plastics and other materials to go back into manufacturing.
"We're going to keep about 93 percent to 95 percent of that material out of the landfills and back into re-use," said John Miller, Vice President for (GRX) Guaranteed Recycling Xperts.
The campaign not only was about collection, but education.
"This big television right here has probably 30 or 35 pounds of lead," said Miller.
Toxic components removed from the equipment and kept out of the earth's soil.
"If it goes out in the alleyway or curbside, the city is obligated to pick it up by law. That means it has to go to the landfill where it could possibly pollute the soil and pollute groundwater," said Zuehlke.
Article URL: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=94713&catid=188
