The City of Knoxville is partnering with several organizations including Goodwill and the Optimist Club of West Knoxville to host two "Plug Into Your Community" computer recycling events in Knoxville and Knox County this month.
Both are drive through, drop off and leave events meaning folks won't even have to leave their vehicles to recycle old computers, laptops and some other electronic items.
The first "Plug Into Your Community" event will be from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, January 10, at Farragut High School, while the second one will take place from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on January 24, at Chilhowee Park. Both computer recycling events will take place rain, snow or shine.
These free electronic waste collections events give people a chance to properly dispose of electronics items that contain hazardous materials and keeps computer equipment from taking up space in landfills.
Recycling electronics also allows for the salvage of materials that can be re-used in the manufacture of new electronic products, which helps the environment by reducing the need for raw materials in the process.
Acceptable items include computer equipment like PC systems, CPUs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, laptops, modems, hard drives, speakers, power cords, cables, phones, power strips, desktop copiers, fax machines, small televisions (19 inches and under) and cell phones.
These items may contain significant amounts of hazardous metals. Some switches and relays, for instance, may contain mercury and printed circuit boards may contain metals like lead, chromium, cadmium and mercury.
Unacceptable items for the two events include microwaves, electronic equipment containing hazardous chemicals, small refrigerators, stoves, appliances, scrap metal, aluminum cans, cardboard and paper.
There is no charge to drop off your old computer and other related electronic devices but donations will gladly be accepted and will benefit Goodwill and the Optimist Club of West Knoxville. Other sponsors of the event include WBIR-TV, Best Buy, Staples, TVA, WUOT-91.9 FM, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, Southeast Recycling Technologies Inc., Knox County's Solid Waste Department and Metro Communications LLC.
This has been a popular event in the past and has expanded to two dates this year because of the interest in recycling these items.