City of Knoxville

NEWS RELEASES
from the Mayor's Office
City of Knoxville, Tennessee
Bill Haslam, Mayor

Recycling Event Helps Residents Plug Into the Community

PlugIntoYourCommunity.org

December 28, 2007 - On Saturday, January 12th, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., area residents can participate in the Plug Into Your Community event by dropping off old computers, scanners, laptops, printers, calculators, cell phones and other items at one convenient location. Many electronic items contain harmful materials and should not be disposed of with regular garbage.

There is no fee being collected to drop off items; however, donations are being accepted and will benefit three very active local non-profit organizations: Goodwill Industries, Children's Hospital, and the Optimist Club of West Knoxville.

Volunteers from each organization will be at the Staples location to process items. Participants dropping off items can register to win a laptop courtesy of event sponsor, Staples or a 42" Plasma HDTV from Best Buy.

Last year over 61 tons of computer materials were collected. Recycling this material is the equivalent to saving the energy use of 14 households a year, saving 470 barrels of oil, 21,790 gallons of gasoline, and removing emissions from the air of 34 vehicles for a year.

Acceptable items that may be dropped off at this event are: computer equipment such as PC systems, CPUs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, laptops, modems, hard drives, speakers, power cords, cables, phones, powers strips, desktop copiers, fax machines, small TVs (no consoles) and cell phones. Please do not bring original packing materials, shipping boxes, manuals, or Styrofoam.

Recycling these items is extremely important because many contain hazardous materials and significant amounts of lead. The EPA encourages residents to take advantage of recycling events in order to keep dangerous materials out of landfills and recover resources.

There are a few items that will NOT be accepted at the Plug Into Your Community event. Unacceptable items are: microwaves, electronics containing hazardous chemicals such as lab equipment, small refrigerators (contain freon), small stoves, small appliances, original packing materials, shipping boxes, manuals, or Styrofoam cardboard, scrap metal, aluminum cans, or newspapers.

Event Location:
Staples (next to Best Buy)
8913 Town & Country Circle
Knoxville, TN 37922

Snow, Rain or Shine, no need to get out of your car!

For more information, please visit www.plugintoyourcommunity.org or call any of the contacts listed.

Sponsored by The City of Knoxville Public Service Department, Knox County Solid Waste Office, TVA, WJXB 97.5, Staples, Best Buy, Advanced Polymer Recycling, WBIR TV, WUOT 91.9, and 5R Processors.

PRESS RELEASE INDEX