Get Rid of that Old TV Safely

We have often discussed in this space the importance of disposing of obsolete or unwanted electronic appliances in a responsible manner. Since many of these devices are made up of components containing some very bad things for the environment and our collective health, pitching out that old Sony with yesterday’s dinner scraps for the Rumpke guy to haul away is not a very good idea.

For those of us who live in Hamilton County, there is now an new option. The Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District opened the 2009 Computer and TV Recycling Drop-Off service on May 1st. The program will run Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm through the end of the year. Hamilton Country residents who are unable to come during the week will be able to drop off computers and TVs on a few select Saturdays this year (June 13, August 8, and October 10 from 9am to 2pm).

The drop-off site this year is 11093 Kenwood Road, Building #7, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242.

Residents can drop off all computer equipment for no charge. Residents dropping off TVs, however, will be charged $10 for TVs weighing under 60 lbs and $20 for over 60 lbs. If you have a Sony, Zenith, LG, or Goldstar TV, these will be accepted for no charge through the Sony’s funded “take back” program.

Now, this particular program is open only to Hamilton County residents. You need to bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license or utility bill. More information about the program is available at their website at http://www.hcdoes.org/SWMD/Residents/CompElec.html.

There are other options available in the area. Best Buy has a program that will allow you to recycle certain appliances for a nominal charge. They have some restrictions on the screen size and number of items that will be accepted. Before lugging that TV or computer to the store you may wish to call or go to the Best Buy website, http://www.bestbuy.com/. Search for “recycling.”

For sure, getting rid of these items is becoming a bit of a hassle. The importance of doing it right and safely more than outweighs any inconvenience or modest cost.

Get Rid of that Old TV Safely

We have often discussed in this space the importance of disposing of obsolete or unwanted electronic appliances in a responsible manner. Since many of these devices are made up of components containing some very bad things for the environment and our collective health, pitching out that old Sony with yesterday’s dinner scraps for the Rumpke guy to haul away is not a very good idea.

For those of us who live in Hamilton County, there is now an new option. The Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District opened the 2009 Computer and TV Recycling Drop-Off service on May 1st. The program will run Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm through the end of the year. Hamilton Country residents who are unable to come during the week will be able to drop off computers and TVs on a few select Saturdays this year (June 13, August 8, and October 10 from 9am to 2pm).

The drop-off site this year is 11093 Kenwood Road, Building #7, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242.

Residents can drop off all computer equipment for no charge. Residents dropping off TVs, however, will be charged $10 for TVs weighing under 60 lbs and $20 for over 60 lbs. If you have a Sony, Zenith, LG, or Goldstar TV, these will be accepted for no charge through the Sony’s funded “take back” program.

Now, this particular program is open only to Hamilton County residents. You need to bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license or utility bill. More information about the program is available at their website at http://www.hcdoes.org/SWMD/Residents/CompElec.html.

There are other options available in the area. Best Buy has a program that will allow you to recycle certain appliances for a nominal charge. They have some restrictions on the screen size and number of items that will be accepted. Before lugging that TV or computer to the store you may wish to call or go to the Best Buy website, http://www.bestbuy.com/. Search for “recycling.”

For sure, getting rid of these items is becoming a bit of a hassle. The importance of doing it right and safely more than outweighs any inconvenience or modest cost.

What To Do With All That Junk

There has been a lot in the news of late about all the debris floating above our heads. No I don’t mean the rhetoric from Washington, I mean all the space junk that is orbiting our planet. Just a week or so ago, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station had to hunker down in a capsule until a piece of a discarded rocket engine passed perilously close to the station traveling at some 22,000 mph. It seems that what goes up does come down, but in space terms it may take a while. Apparently our near-earth cosmic space is getting very crowed with junk. Just like the NASA guys who need to do a better job of handling our space trash disposal, we earthbound consumers need to do the same.

One of the most worrisome categories of trash is the mountain of obsolete consumer electronic devices that get pitched every day. TVs, cell phones, home computers, ipods VCRs and many other devices with power cords or batteries get sent to the curb for Mr. Rumpke.

Gone are the days when you bought a TV or radio and used it for years, taking it in for repair when needed. Today some people replace cell phones in order to get one that matches the color of their socks. Others must have the latest and greatest. “My phone is newer and smaller than your phone….nya! nya! nya! nya! nya!”

Even in this stressed economy, we are not likely to change our consumption habits. We should however change our disposal habits. Electronic devices and the batteries that power them contain some very bad stuff. Arsenic, mercury, lead and heavy metals are not things we want to pitch into land fills.

There are safe options that everyone should consider when disposing of these items. Some will cost a few dollars but this expense is more than justified by the long term benefit to the planet and all who live here.
In an effort to handle the increased number of TV sets being retired because of the digital transition, the Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District will conduct a TV recycling event from May 1 - December 30, 2009 for residents of Hamilton County, Ohio. The TV Recycling Program will be incorporated with the computer recycling program. Recycling computer equipment will continue to be free. Recycling TVs will have the following charges associated: 60 lbs or less, $10/TV; over 60 lbs, $20/TV.There are several other options for area residents wanting to responsibly dispose of unwanted electronic items. You can call the Solid Waste District at 513-946-7766 or better yet go to the web site where they list several places that will take your old equipment. Some of them will take the items for free. For example, Best Buy stores will take some old TV’s and other items like cell phones and batteries.

What To Do With All That Junk

There has been a lot in the news of late about all the debris floating above our heads. No I don’t mean the rhetoric from Washington, I mean all the space junk that is orbiting our planet. Just a week or so ago, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station had to hunker down in a capsule until a piece of a discarded rocket engine passed perilously close to the station traveling at some 22,000 mph. It seems that what goes up does come down, but in space terms it may take a while. Apparently our near-earth cosmic space is getting very crowed with junk. Just like the NASA guys who need to do a better job of handling our space trash disposal, we earthbound consumers need to do the same.

One of the most worrisome categories of trash is the mountain of obsolete consumer electronic devices that get pitched every day. TVs, cell phones, home computers, ipods VCRs and many other devices with power cords or batteries get sent to the curb for Mr. Rumpke.

Gone are the days when you bought a TV or radio and used it for years, taking it in for repair when needed. Today some people replace cell phones in order to get one that matches the color of their socks. Others must have the latest and greatest. “My phone is newer and smaller than your phone….nya! nya! nya! nya! nya!”

Even in this stressed economy, we are not likely to change our consumption habits. We should however change our disposal habits. Electronic devices and the batteries that power them contain some very bad stuff. Arsenic, mercury, lead and heavy metals are not things we want to pitch into land fills.

There are safe options that everyone should consider when disposing of these items. Some will cost a few dollars but this expense is more than justified by the long term benefit to the planet and all who live here.
In an effort to handle the increased number of TV sets being retired because of the digital transition, the Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District will conduct a TV recycling event from May 1 - December 30, 2009 for residents of Hamilton County, Ohio. The TV Recycling Program will be incorporated with the computer recycling program. Recycling computer equipment will continue to be free. Recycling TVs will have the following charges associated: 60 lbs or less, $10/TV; over 60 lbs, $20/TV.There are several other options for area residents wanting to responsibly dispose of unwanted electronic items. You can call the Solid Waste District at 513-946-7766 or better yet go to the web site where they list several places that will take your old equipment. Some of them will take the items for free. For example, Best Buy stores will take some old TV’s and other items like cell phones and batteries.