ADEQ Announces Free Regional Electronics Waste Recycling, Paper Shred Event Feb. 23

Phoenix AZ (February 11, 2013) – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that a free regional electronics waste recycling and paper shredding event for Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Cornville, Jerome, Sedona and Village of Oak Creek will be held Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Cottonwood on West Mingus Avenue behind the Cottonwood Area Transit bus station.

ADEQ and its partners — City of Cottonwood, UniSource Energy Services, Stewards of Public Lands, ProShred Security and E-Waste Harvesters — anticipate collecting tons of unwanted televisions, computer equipment, monitors, batteries, chargers, cell phones, VCRs, CD and DVD players, printers, small appliances, fax machines, stereos, cables and cords and shredded documents during the event. At ADEQ’s last collaborative event in Cottonwood last year more than 18 tons of e-waste was collected from more than 400 vehicles. This is the first year of the paper shredding event and customers should come early in the day since the truck is expected to rapidly fill its 11,000-pound capacity.

“We had the most pounds per capita from households last year in Cottonwood than any of the previous 75 events we have sponsored statewide,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “This is a great opportunity for people in the Verde Valley to dispose of all the unwanted electronics they have collected over the years while at the same time ensuring that this potentially toxic stream of waste is disposed of responsibly and does not take up valuable landfill space.”

Cottonwood Mayor Diane Joens says she is excited about having another electronics recycling event in the Verde Valley, in addition to adding paper shredding this year, and encourages residents of the surrounding area to also attend and bring their material.

“Illegal dumping of electronics waste is a serious problem in the Verde Valley,” Joens said. “This free event will allow our residents to do the right thing and dispose of their old TVs and computers and other electronics clutter in a responsible manner.”

Companies and individuals donating e-waste will receive a certificate of disposal for their records from E-Waste Harvesters if they want the document. E-Waste Harvesters will erase all hard drives with state of the art software and recycles all materials in accordance with state and federal regulations.