- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 9 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
City has recycling in the bag
Cost-free campaign targets inkjet and toner cartridges, discarded cell phones
Noblesville
Wastewater Utility Director Mike Hendricks holds a plastic envelope
used for recycling ink and toner cartridges and cell phones.
Noblesville Wastewater Utility customers got an extra insert in their most recent bill: a plastic bag.
It’s
a key part of a new recycling program launched by the city in
partnership with Waste Management and the Illinois firm CORE Recycling
Concepts to recycle inkjet and toner cartridges and discarded cell
phones.
Noblesville Wastewater Utility Director Mike Hendricks said
Noblesville wants to reduce the number of cartridges and phones sent to
landfills.
“We’re the first city in the country to do this recycling
program,” Hendricks said. “We’re pretty proud to be the first
municipality to get on board.”
The program is free and designed to
be easy to use – the plastic bags are pre-addressed and postage-paid.
People can simply seal their cartridges or cell phones into the bags
and drop them into any mailbox.
In addition, the program is totally
cost-free to the city, Hendricks said. CORE Recycling Concepts footed
the cost of the bags, printing and postage.
Hendricks said the
envelopes go directly to CORE, which cleans and reconditions the
cartridges for after-market resale. Hendricks said he didn’t know how
the company recycled the cell phones, but he added there is also a
local source for those who want to recycle their phone units.
“Prevail
also accepts cell phones to give to people at-risk,” he said. “It’s a
good program and I have no problems at all if people would rather
donate their phones to them. But if not, they can still drop them in
the envelope and send them to CORE for recycling.”
In addition to
the plastic recycling bags, the city also will provide collection boxes
for businesses and homes that use larger toner cartridges. The special
boxes also include free postage.
Hendricks said he was surprised to find statistics show that currently only 5 percent of printer cartridges are recycled.
“It’s
a very small percentage,” he said, “and I think we have all thrown our
old inkjet cartridges away at one time or another. When they are used
up the trash can’s usually the closest place available.”
CORE will send feedback to city officials on the amount of response from residents and businesses participating in the program.
Hendricks
added that additional recycling bags are available at all city
buildings. The larger boxes are expected to arrive soon and will be
located with the bags.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.