We've all heard the three "r's" about conservation, reduce, reuse and recycle, but now there may be a forth word to that list --- "E-cycle".
With technology taking the world by storm, it's no wonder the fastest growing segment of the recycling world is electronics recycling.
John Doyle with Universal Recycling Technologies says there's a lot more that can be recycled than most people realize.
"A lot of people focus on the cans, the plastics, the paper," Doyle said. "But a lot of people are not aware of what is involved in electronic recycling."
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And if you think about all the electronic stuff we have these days, you can imagine how much of that stuff is taking up landfills when we replace it--- with more stuff.
The EPA estimates there's over 3 million tons of e-waste in the US every year. And of that, only about 430,000 tons are recycled. That means the rest --- something like 2.5 million tons of electronics go to the landfill, and that number goes up every year.
And there's very little that can't be recycled.
"You can recycle pretty much--the rule of thumb: if it has a plug, we can recycle it," Doyle said. "You're talking computers, monitors, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, alarm clocks, cell phones, iPods, anything pretty much with a battery or cord can be recycled."
So after buying that brand new gadget, Doyle says, instead of tossing the old electronic gizmos into the trash, consider throwing it in a recycle bin.
URT can setup business recycling events or accommodate individual recycling. To contact URT, call them at 817-924-9300 or visit its website.
