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Residents Are Urged To Recycle Electronics

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Suncoast News

Published: January 8, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Got a shiny new television set or computer for Christmas? Don't forget to recycle your old electronics, state environmental officials say.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection wants Pasco County residents to keep discarded electronics out of landfills to protect the state's natural resources.

"Recycling televisions and other electronics allows for the recovery of electronic components that contain lead and other toxic materials," Mary Jean Yon, DEP's director of waste management, said.

Many people bought flat-screen LCD or plasma TV sets as gifts this holiday season, Yon said.

Also, state officials expect still more people will switch to the newer television sets when television stations stop broadcasting analog signals Feb. 17. Analog television sets might need converter boxes to continue to pick up local television stations through an antenna. Cable or satellite dish subscribers or people with digital televisions won't have to do anything to continue getting the local channels.

DEP officials, however, expect some people might go ahead and buy digital LCD or plasma televisions. They also hope buyers will choose energy-efficient sets carrying the Energy Star label. Such models use about 30 percent less electricity.

Go online to www.energystar.gov to learn more.

To avoid a bunch of old television sets winding up on the curb for trash haulers to cart away, DEP officials are telling residents there are many methods of recycling outmoded televisions:

•Keep old televisions for games, videos or DVDs.

•Donate working televisions to a charitable organization or give them to a friend.

•Offer televisions through local Freecycle groups, at www.freecycle .org.

DEP has produced an interactive, online map that shows recycling centers that can handle old electronics in each county. Go to www.dep.state.fl.us/waste /categories/electronics/pages /televisions.htm.

The DEP site refers people to Earth911.com, which shows public and private recycling centers.

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