Recycling event to take old, outdated electronics

Columbia County is offering a way to dispose of outdated, unused electronics with Electronics Recycling Day on Saturday.

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Electronics will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the third semi-annual event in the parking lot of the Evans Government Complex on Ronald Reagan Drive in Evans.

The recycling effort is being put on 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.

The county's first recycling event, held in September 2006, brought in about 12 tons of outdated electronics ranging from typewriters and turntables to computers and cash registers. More than 19 tons of electronics were dropped off at the government complex during the second drive in March, said Stacie Adkins, the county's community events manager.

"I've already scheduled another one for the spring 2008," Adkins said, adding that she attributes the growth from the first to the second drive to the spread of information.

Acceptable items include computers; monitors; desktop CPUs; LCD display laptops; notebook computers; CDs; CD-RWs; 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; VCRs; servers; routers; hubs; remotes and PDAs.

Stereo components such as tuners, tape players and CD players also will be accepted. Adkins said, for the first time, recyclable batteries will be accepted.

Televisions, stereo speakers, electric and microwave ovens and other appliances won't be accepted because they contain an element that must be disposed of in a particular manner, Adkins said.

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