(Milwaukee, WI. March 30, 2009)  Nearly 2,000 people from all over southeastern Wisconsin stopped by the Wisconsin State Fair grounds on Saturday, March 14^th to unload over 236,000 pounds of electronics during a collection event hosted by the City of Milwaukee and Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful.  About 2,200 televisions accounted for 55% or about 65 of the 118 tons of electronics collected and processed for recycling.  CRT Processing LLC is processing all of the material in their Janesville facility.  The one-day event was made possible through a sponsorship by Samsung.

Need for Increased Recycling Opportunities

The equipment collected on March 14 at State Fair Park filled 18 semi-trailers plus another truck, exceeding expectations by about 50%.  “The extreme popularity of the event is a great illustration of the need for increased opportunities for recycling electronics”, said Mayor Tom Barrett.  Wisconsin State Senator Mark Miller has long recognized the need to expand recycling of electronics, and on March 10 he introduced Senate Bill 107, which would require manufacturers to provide for the collection and recycling of electronic equipment that they sell in Wisconsin.  The bill is modeled after a similar law in Minnesota.  It establishes recycling quotas based on a manufacturer’s market share and allows for the sale or banking of recycling credits that exceed these goals.  18 states have now passed similar legislation, and electronics manufacturers generally are rising to the occasion to accept their new product stewardship responsibilities.  “Samsung’s sponsorship of the March 14th event shows how some manufacturers are stepping up to develop the infrastructure that they will need to fulfill their responsibilities under the proposed law,” said Rick Meyers, Recycling Specialist for the City of Milwaukee.

Those interested in expanding the opportunities for and convenience of recycling consumer electronics may wish to contact their legislators in support of Senate Bill 107.  More details can be found on Senator Miller’s website (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sen16/news/Issues/Electronics_Recycling.asp).  The City of Milwaukee supports the legislation, as do a wide variety of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.

Other Recycling Options for Electronics

As of Feb. 15, all Best Buy stores in the U.S. allow consumers to bring in up to two units per day, per household, of most electronics for recycling.  Best Buy restricts televisions and monitors to no greater than 32” in size.  A $10 recycling fee per unit is charged for items with screens, such as televisions, laptop computers, and monitors. The consumer will instantly receive a $10 Best Buy gift card in exchange for the recycling fee.

Residents are also advised to contact their local municipality to inquire about recycling options for electronics.  For example, City of Milwaukee residents can recycle their unwanted computer equipment by bringing it to either of the DPW’s two Self-Help centers.  Televisions and other non-computer electronics are not accepted for recycling at this time.  These centers are located at 6660 N Industrial Rd. and 3879 W Lincoln Ave.  For hours and a complete list of accepted materials, visit http://www.mpw.net/Pages/selfhelp.htm.