Help Take A Byte Out Of Electronics Waste

“But . . . it still works.”

We have no doubt that is the truth as two of us hoist the glass and imitation wood cube, sans rabbit ears, out of the idling car’s trunk. Then the driver (usually with a smile) pays the eight bits and the recycling center gains another usable television rendered unwanted by improved technology.

Keep Alliance Beautiful will accept these venerable sources of home entertainment — square, flat or whatever, for free next weekend. The Television Recycling Event, decades in the making, will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 15, in the empty lot at West Third Street and Emerson Avenue.

Televisions accepted include CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and TVs with a limit of 2 CRTs per resident. There are no limits on other electronics being accepted, including: computer equipment and accessories, audio/visual equipment, laptops, cell phones, cords, cable boxes and gaming consoles.

KAB accepts electronics for $1 per piece at the recycling center during business hours, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, year-round.

The key to recycling an old fax machine or an Atari game console is separating its internal components. State-of-the-art electronics recycling process can yield more than 90 percent recoverable materials ranging from silicone to precious metals.

So, if you have been on the fence about whether it is worth a buck to bring in that Apple IIe then consider “free” at the spot known better for hosting tasty food truck fare.

I really could not say where that motherboard will ultimately end up. I do look forward to more technology companies boasting their gadgets would not have been designed and marketed without recycling. See what you can contribute to that green tech dream when you drop by Third and Emerson next Saturday.