FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Jason Gerwig
630/407-6022
April 14, 2008

County Launches New Program to Recycle Unwanted Electronics

At no cost to taxpayers, this truly is a win-win for the people of DuPage County, notes Redick.

WHEATON, IL ― Jeff Redick, Chairman of the County’s Environmental Committee, is pleased to announce that DuPage County has entered into an agreement with SIMS Recycling Solutions to collect used and unwanted electronics from county households.  

This first-of-its-kind program in DuPage County will provide residents with an opportunity to dispose of old computers, printers, fax machines, cell phones, televisions and radios in a safe, and environmentally friendly, manner without any cost to the taxpayers of DuPage County.

Under the agreement, DuPage County will work with local governmental entities, schools and charitable organizations to schedule electronic waste pick-ups throughout the county.  SIMS Recycling Solutions will provide all the needed supplies, transport the collected materials from the site, remove the recyclable parts from the machinery and properly dispose of all the materials.

“I am very excited about helping establish this new program,” said Redick (District 2).  “This is an excellent example of county government working in cooperation with other local governments and private organizations to provide a valuable service, at no cost, to the taxpayers.”

Electronic waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. Toxic substances in electronic waste may include lead, mercury and cadmium. Carcinogenic substances in electronic waste may include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A typical computer monitor may contain more than six percent lead by weight, much of which is in the lead glass of the CRT. Capacitors, transformers, PVC insulated wires, PVC coated components that were manufactured before 1977 often contain dangerous amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls.  Up to thirty-eight separate chemical elements are incorporated into electronic waste items. The un-sustainability of discarding electronics and computer technology is another reason for the need to recycle electronic waste.   (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-waste)

"Our electronic recycling program serves to help us better preserve our natural resources and allows us, as a community, to be better stewards of our environment,” says Redick.  “It is vital that we ensure electronic equipment is recycled properly so that the chemicals they contain do not find their way into our soils and water streams.”

In an effort to make recycling locations more accessible, and widespread, throughout the county, DuPage County will be reaching out to area schools, businesses and municipalities to help them set up programs for their own recycling efforts, as well as providing space to host recycling events for area residents.  

Those residents worried about identity theft can take comfort, notes Redick, because SIMS utilizes U.S. Department of Defense procedure DoD 5220.22-M to wipe hard drives and storage systems ensuring that identities are protected.   All processing of the equipment is done within the United States. 

"This truly is a win-win for the people of DuPage County.  We are able to do something good and do it using private funds rather than taxpayer dollars,” said Redick.

For more information on this new partnership, please contact the County’s Economic Development and Planning Office at 630-407-6700.

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