GAYLORD — If you have an old or outdated computer, television, printer or other electronic device that you need to discard, it used to be that you only had one chance a year to do that with the Otsego Conservation District.
That’s no longer the case, because starting on Monday, Jan. 27 you will be able to get rid of these items every month. The Otsego Conservation District (OCD) is expanding its electronics recycling program.
“We did electronics recycling in conjunction with our household hazardous waste day but it was only once a year,” said Kelly Draeger of the OCD. “People have been telling us they had a printer or television break and they didn’t want to store it for a whole year. This will make it a lot easier as people won’t have to let things pile up. Also if they were out of town for that one day, they won’t have to wait a year.”
The OCD will begin its electronics recycling program on Monday from 9-11 a.m. and Thursday, Jan. 30 from 4-6 p.m. at a new building at the OCD’s Demonstration Garden at 459 Livingston Blvd. in Gaylord. After that starting in February, electronics will be accepted at that site on the first Thursday of every month from 4-6 p.m. and on the third Monday from 9-11 a.m.
The Otsego Conservation District is expanding its electronics recycling program with monthly drop-offs.
Draeger said a recycling grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will help pay for the expanded program. Those who drop off items will also be charged a fee of 75 cents per pound.
“That helps to cover the transportation fees we have to pay to send the items to a recycling facility,” she added.
For years, officials have discouraged people from placing old and discarded electronics in the regular trash pickup.
“A lot of those things contain heavy metals, toxic materials and other things that can contaminate water sources and the ground in general. Lithium batteries, for instance, can start fires,” Draeger said. “Those items are not going to break down, they will just contaminate landfills. Plus some of the items do have precious metals that can be taken out and reused.”
Information on the new expanded recycling program from the Otsego Conservation District.
Draeger said the expanded recycling is open to residents of Otsego County and other areas.
“We will accept items from other counties as well. However, people should check in their county because we are not the only county with a program like this,” she said.
Those with a large amount of items for recycling, including individuals, businesses or organizations, should call ahead for arrangements at (989) 732-4021. Information on the program is also available on the conservation district’s website.
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Draeger said there has been a proliferation of electronic devices that many of us now use in our daily lives.
“Research shows that an average household has like 28 electronic devices that they use regularly. Every year or a couple of years they come out with upgrades so people purchase a new phone or other electronic item. So there is this accumulation of things,” Draeger said.
To make sure someone’s personal data on computers or laptops is not shared, the recycling company that OCD is working with will destroy all hard drives, which contains all of the important personal data.
“They don’t reuse any part of a hard drive or any memory — that is all destroyed,” according to Draeger.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Otsego Conservation District to expand electronics recycling program