Electronics Recycling Collection Nets 81 Tons

Pulaski County residents and businesses unplugged 81 tons of obsolete electronics equipment and dropped them off at last week’s special electronics recycling collection. Called Electronics Recycling Unplugged, the Regional Recycling District in Pulaski County collected everything from computers, copiers and printers to old televisions, hair dryers and toasters. The twice-yearly event was held April 25 and 26 at the Verizon Arena parking lot in North Little Rock.

“Compared with last year’s spring collection, this spring’s effort saw nearly double the weight in electronics,” said Craig Douglass, executive director of the Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District. “Our local households and businesses recognized through our promotional efforts that it’s better to keep electronics out of landfills and recycle them into new products and components. It simply makes good environmental and business sense.”

The spring collection in 2016 netted 58 tons, while spring 2017 collected 43 tons. According to the district, increased publicity and promotion effectively informed Pulaski County residents and businesses on the benefits of recycling electronics and the convenience of the two-day collection. The result was an 88 percent increase in tonnage over 2017.

“Electronics, like other commodities, are weighing less and less, but still
take up relatively the same amount of space in landfills,” Douglass said. “So,
this increase in tonnage actually equals more overall volume due to decreases in the weight of electronic products. And it’s good that we are keeping that volume – and the toxic waste in electronic components – out of landfills.”

Another special electronic waste collection is planned for this fall. The district will announce the dates in September.

Pulaski County residential customers only may continue to drop off electronic waste year-round at the district’s five drop-off centers, called Green Stations. Locations and operating hours are listed on the district’s website at RegionalRecycling.org. Businesses located in Pulaski County may contact the district’s electronics recycling partner, eSCO Processing and Recycling in Little Rock at 844-223-3190, or lreprinfo@escorecycling.com, to schedule a drop-off.

For more information, contact the Regional Recycling and Waste Reduction District at 501-340-8787, or RegionalRecycling.org.