In celebration of America Recycles Day, Green Action, a WUSTL student group that seeks to raise environmental awareness on campus and in the community, will be holding its second annual electronics recycling drive Nov. 15 in cooperation with Web Innovations and Technology Services (WITS), a local not-for-profit electronics recycler.
The drive will be held from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Brookings Hall parking lot near the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum and Givens Hall.
University students, faculty and staff, as well as local residents, are invited to drop off their used and/or broken electronics to be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner. All items will be recycled for free with the exception of computer monitors/laptops and televisions, which require a $5 and $10 tax-deductible fee respectively to cover hazardous material handling costs.
Materials that will be accepted, in any condition, include the following:
• Batteries and ink cartridges
• Computers, monitors, printers, cables and peripherals (keyboards and mice)
• Networking equipment, servers, telecommunications, phones, clocks, etc.
• TVs, VCRs, stereos, & audio/video equipment including cable & satellite boxes
• Home electronics, blenders, toasters, irons
• Old lawn tools and equipment
• Paints, tires and other hazardous materials will not be accepted.
WITS is an EPA-certified, St. Louis-based, 501(c)(3) organization that recycles and rebuilds donated electronics by replacing and reusing parts. The organization puts the refurbished electronics back into the community for educational and job-training purposes. WITS keeps the electronics that cannot be reused out of landfills by safely recycling them.
WITS’ electronics drives are the largest in the nation. Last year, 31.5 tons of electronics were collected from an estimated 1,000 vehicles.
Green Action is a Student Union group at that works proactively to encourage recycling, reduction of resource usage, and other sustainable living practices in the student body; to open the dialogue on controversial issues such as alternative energy, sustainable food production, and global warming; and to reach out into the community to promote environmental awareness.
Green Action has extended the nationally celebrated America Recycles Day to become America Recycles Week at the University. In addition to the recycling drive on Wednesday, the group will be hosting its annual 7th Hour debate at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 in Ursa’s Fireside. This year’s topic is “Making Greenbacks Greener: How Environmentalism is Reshaping the Business World.” Invited panelists include University professors, members of local government and business leaders.
For more information about the electronics drive and accepted materials, please contact WITS at (314) 382 – 1650. For more information about Green Action’s America Recycles Week, E-mail mimi.cheng87@gmail.com.