By Tiffany Thompson, News Editor
The Stanly News and Press (Albemarle, NC)
Monday, July 4, 2011 —
Taking effect Friday was a ban limiting the types of items that can be disposed of in the city of Albemarle’s landfill.
The North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill into law in 2010 making it illegal to knowingly place old televisions, computers such as desktops, monitors and laptops, as well as computer keyboards and mice and printers, scanners and faxes in the landfill. This includes placing these items, known as e-waste, along the street for curbside collection.
According to Michael Lambert, director of public works for the city of Albemarle, recycling of these items will be available at the landfill.
“If someone brings any of these items to the landfill, they’ll be directed to our recycling facility and they’ll be charged a re-duced tipping fee,” he said.
The e-waste ban portion of the law, Session Law 2010-67, was approved in July 2010 and scheduled totake effect July 1, 2011. As outlined in the law, the General Assembly “recognizes that discarded television and computer equipment are rapidly growing and complex waste streams.”
According to Ellen Lorscheider, spokeswoman for the N.C. Division of Waste Management, the law’s goal is to reduce landfills’ risk of possible contamination from metals used to make electronic equipment, which include mercury, lead and cadmium.
Another benefit from the ban is the increase in valuable parts from the electronic equipment that will be available for reuse. Accord-ing to the N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), an average of five to six pounds per capita of e-waste is thrown away each year.
Most of these items contain materials that have value and can be reused.
Aside from the recycling service provided at the city of Albemarle landfill, other resources are available for residents needing to dispose of e-waste.
Each spring, Stanly County and the city of Albemarle come together to hold a Household Hazard-ous Waste Day, during which electronic and other items banned from the landfill can be taken to a collection site at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center.
Additionally, all computer manufacturers are required to offer at least a free mail-back program for their own equipment, though some offer additional types of recycling options.
Another resource available to residents comes in the form of an online tool. The tool, found at 1800recycling.com, is the brainchild of John Sheg-erian, founder and CEO of Electronic Recyclers Inter-national, which recently announced the establishment of its newest facility in Badin.
Sherigan explained that e-waste includes anything with a cord, as well as cellular phones.
“These items shouldn’t go into the ground. They can be turned into other metals and reused,” Sherigan said.
Sherigan has made it his mission to bring awareness to the environment. In keeping with the mission, he dreamed of a way for people all over the nation to have easy access to information regarding where to recycle, not only electronics but any kind of recyclable material.
The result is www.1800recycling.com, which is a user friendly, free service that allows visitors of the site to type in their zip code and they will be directed to the nearest recycling center.
Sherigan, through his 1800recycling.com site, has also recently launched a “My Recycle List” app for the Apple and Android markets, which allows users to find recycling centers all over the nation while on the go.
Another service provided through the site is a link to a 1-800-got-junk, which is a recycling pick up service.
“There is also a tool where people can click on the link and a recycling pick up service is available for people who may be too busy or unable to take their items to the recycling center,” Sherigan said, adding that there is a small fee for this service.
“We want to make sure everyone has all the information they need to make recycling easier, that way more recycling will happen across America.”
For a complete list of all items that are banned from being disposed of in the landfill, call (704) 982-3302 during business hours of Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m. and 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday.
