News from the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Public Information Contacts: Linda Van Zandt / Joanne Vuoso / Lisa Krueger

908.231.7020 publicinfo@co.somerset.nj.us

July 20, 2007

Electronic Waste Recycling Options Available to Residents

Somerset County residents have options when it comes to recycling electronics.

Staples, Inc. now offers an electronic recycling program. Residents can bring used electronics to any Staples location. There is a fee of $10 for each large item to cover handling, transport, product disassembly and recycling. Smaller computer peripherals, such as keyboards and mice, will be recycled for free. Staples Easy Tech(sm) service is available in all stores to transfer data from an old computer to a new one for a fee. For more information, contact your local Staples store or visit www.staples.com.

Reconnect is a free computer recycling program for consumers throughout New Jersey that is managed by Dell, Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey and Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey/Quaker City Goodwill. Consumers can drop off computer equipment at any of the 20 Goodwill locations in New Jersey. Goodwill will sort the donated computer equipment, which will be recycled through Dell’s Asset Recovery Services. Customers are responsible for removing data from their hard drives. Goodwill locations in the Somerset County area include 126 Route 22 West, Springfield; 415 Route 18, East Brunswick; and 1628 North Olden Ave. in Ewing. For more information, or to find other drop-off locations, consumers can visit www.reconnectpartnership.com. All proceeds from the resale value of donations go to Goodwill to support job training and employment services programs.

Residents also can dispose of used electronics for free on ‘First Saturday of the Month’ drop-off days. This program is held once a month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Somerset County Recycling Center, located at 40 Polhemus Lane in Bridgewater. As part of the program, the Recycling Center accepts VCRs, TVs, typewriters, radios, stereo equipment, modems, fax machines, cell phones and used computer electronics such as computers, CPUs, monitors, CRTs and printers. Other acceptable items include CDs, DVDs, computer disks, diskettes, videotapes and cassette tapes. The next scheduled drop-off date is Saturday, Aug. 4. For more information or to view the drop-off schedule, visit http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle.htm.

Many consumer electronics contain heavy metals and materials that are considered hazardous, such as computer monitors and televisions. Items such as VCRs, stereos and computer components (CPUs, keyboards, printers, modems) can contain lead in the circuit boards, as well as other heavy metals like nickel, cadmium and mercury.

Last year, county residents and public and private schools recycled about 850,768 pounds, or 425.38 tons, of used electronic waste by participating in solid waste management programs sponsored by the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

For more information, contact the Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management at SolidWaste@co.somerset.nj.us or (908) 231-7681.

STAPLES Electronics Recycling Program