It is vital to recycle and reduce waste here in Pinellas County. Recycling is important for social, economic and environmental reasons. Did you know that over 75% of the trash in Pinellas County could be recycled? Recycling programs, along with waste reduction and waste diversion programs, help to conserve landfill space and ensure a sustainable future.
Since curbside recycling started, most of us have gotten in the habit of segregating recyclable paper, plastics, metals and glass for curbside pickup, separate from our trash. The next step is to recycle empty ink and toner cartridges and electronics. You can even help fund your local school by dropping them in the school office.
There are 120 million printers in use today with millions more being sold each year. Each of these printers uses 5-25 cartridges each year. There are millions of empty printer cartridges being used each year, most of which end up in landfills.
Million of pounds of empty cartridges and cell phones are thrown into our landfills annually and this figure continues to rise.
Did you know it takes 3 quarts of oil to produce a laser cartridge and over 200 years for it to decompose?
Together we can significantly reduce the amount of waste that is going into our landfills by recycling empty inkjets, laser cartridges and cell phones. Over 150 different types of inkjet cartridges are being used today.
Reports suggest that more than 800 million cell phones are headed for our landfills each year. With the amount of empty cartridges being thrown into landfills, this adds up to over 800,000 tons of waste.
Why Recycle & Reuse Electronics?
Electronic equipment is used in our community by everyone, everyday, from televisions, monitors, computers, ink and laser cartridges to personal audio systems and cell phones. People tend to upgrade to the latest technology as technology changes. This leaves working / resalable electronic equipment that still may have a use, in storage or ending up in landfills.
Some components in electronic equipment contain hazardous materials, such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. While in use, these hazardous materials do not present a problem, but when they are discarded, they pose an environmental threat that will pollute our air, land and sea. Land filling or incinerating certain electronic equipment is prohibited by the Florida State Department of Environmental Protection.
A local St. Petersburg company, Hands On Recycling has set up a collection box in the office of Gulf Beaches Elementary School at 8600 Boca Ciega Dr., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706. Parents, faculty, neighbors and local businesses can drop off their empty cartridges and electronic equipment for donation.
After processing, Hands On Recycling evaluates the collections and shares 40% of the profits on working, resalable equipment. Some examples of acceptable equipment are:
– Desktop Computers
– Laptops
– Monitors
– Television
– Audio/ Video (CD/DVD/Stereo/Radio/Camera)
Hands On Recycling promotes environmentally sound recovery and recycling of by-products derived from the demanufacturing of E-WASTE. Nothing goes to a landfill or incinerator. A Certificate of Reuse / Recycling and shared profit is issued after the process has been completed. Hands On Recycling can also make arrangements to have working / resalable equipment picked up on site from local business sponsors that would like to donate to the recycling program. This can really help out if a sponsor has several units to donate. Together we can make a difference for students and the world we live in. The school receives $1 for each recyclable cell phone, inkjet or laser cartridge collected within days. Save your old cell phones and empty ink-jet/laser cartridges. Instead of throwing them away, donate them. When you change your cartridge just place the empty cartridge in the box. (This will help cut down on breakage but is not required.)
Your involvement will teach your children that recycling makes dollars and sense! For more information on recycling options in Pinellas, visit www.pinellascounty.org/solidwaste/recycle.
Look for a free copy of the 2015 Pinellas County Recycling Directory at local libraries, health food stores, Pinellas County drop-off recycling centers or call 727-464-7500 to have a copy mailed to your home.