[July 05, 2011] Dump your old electronics for recycling on Thursday Tweet MORGANTON, NC, May 31, 2011 (The News Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Do you have an outdated, unused computer sitting in your home? Maybe there's a broken kitchen appliance you meant to take to the dump weeks ago. Or an old TV taking up space in the basement or attic. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the parking lot of Western Piedmont Community College, Burke County residents and businesses can drop off -- for free -- electronics for recycling. It's one way for consumers to get rid of such items before a law effective on July 1 prohibits disposing of electronic devices, fluorescent lamps and mercury in landfills. Burke County's electronics collection event also is an effort to recycle materials that have some value, explained Carson Fisher, director of the county's General Services Department. Creative Recycling will take the electronic devices, tear them apart and recycle the materials, Fisher said. Newer items that can be refurbished will be donated to non-profit organizations. Among the items people can drop off Thursday are personal computers, monitors, televisions, any computer parts, scanners, fax machines, video-cassette recorders gaming consoles, cell phones, compact-disc players and small appliances like microwave ovens. The collection effort will not accept large appliances, hazardous materials, fluorescent lights or products containing mercury. Fisher recommended that people erase the computers' hard drives if they contain sensitive information. Creative Recycling destroys data, but people with security concerns should take the extra precaution of clearing the drives themselves. Once the free recycling collection is over, people still must dispose of electronics responsibly. Fisher said they can contact an electronic item's manufacturer, because some companies accept their used electronics. Ace Hardware and Lowes Home Improvement collect and dispose of fluorescent lights, he noted. In the future, some of the county's convenience sites -- but probably not all five, Fisher said -- may have collection bins for electronics, fluorescent lights and items containing mercury. For a list of materials accepted during Thursday's collection or for more information contact Burke County General Services at 439-4391 or visit www.co.burke.nc.us. To see more of The News Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.morganton.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The News Herald, Morganton, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]