Electronics Recycling Day is scheduled for Saturday

For all those looking to get rid of old electronics, Columbia County will offer an Electronics Recycling Day on Saturday.

The event, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the Evans Government Complex on Ronald Reagan Drive, is being offered by the county's Keep Columbia County Beautiful and Community Events departments in conjunction with Creative Recycling Systems of Georgia, which supports local charities by refurbishing usable items for donation or resale at a discount to nonprofit agencies.

"I don't think we've done anything like this before," said Stacie Adkins, the county's community events manager. "I really hope that if the county supports it that we can ... make this a twice-a-year event."

Acceptable items include computers, monitors, desktop CPUs, LCD display laptops, notebook computers, CDs, CDRWs, DVDs, hard, floppy and ZIP drives, scanners, printers, fax machines, adding machines, cell phones, corded and cordless phones, answering machines, pagers, pocket PCs, data cartridges, PC and digital cameras, servers, routers, hubs, remotes, stereo components such as tuners, tape players and CD players and PDAs.

Televisions and electric and microwave ovens will not be accepted. For businesses or schools with large quantities, arrangements can be made for direct pick-up.

"We're just trying to improve our recycling until a better program is established," Adkins said. "We're trying to support recycling efforts."

According to the Web site, www.crserecycling.com, more than half of heavy metals found in landfills are from improperly disposed of electronics. Those hazardous materials can seep into the ground and contaminate air, water and land.

Adkins said the company refurbishes all electronics that can be recycled.

For more information, call Columbia County Community Events at (706) 312-7191 or visit www.columbiacountyga.gov.