March 23, 2017
Contact: Doug Bolnick, Public Information Officer, 636-949-7408
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO – Earth Day encourages the protection and preservation of our environment through the efficient use of resources. The St. Charles County Division of Environmental Health and Protection will recognize this initiative by hosting an Earth Day electronics recycling collection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 21 and 22.
“As we make way for the latest technological advances and throw away unwanted devices, landfills across the nation overflow with millions of tons of electronics each year,” Division Director Ryan Tilley says. “In addition to being burdensome, this electronic waste, or E-Waste, contains toxic materials that can contaminate the soil, water and air. We’re proud that our Recycle Works Central and Recycle Works West facilities have improved St. Charles County by processing more than 42 million pounds of recyclable material since we initiated the program in 1990.”
Open to St. Charles County residents only (businesses and organizations are not eligible to participate), the Earth Day celebration collection takes place at Recycle Works Central (60 Triad South Drive in St. Charles) and Recycle Works West (2110 East Pitman Avenue in Wentzville). The facilities collect most electronic items at no cost, but there is a small charge for appliances (minimum $15 fee), computers (up to $10 for complete systems, monitors or printers), and televisions ($10-$25 depending upon the size). Please note that this event is a cash-only collection. For questions regarding this Earth Day event, please visit www.sccmo.org/RecycleWorks or call 636-949-1800.
Producing, distributing and consuming new electronic items require a lot of energy and deplete the amount of raw materials available in the future. For example, it takes more than 500 pounds of fuel, nearly 50 pounds of chemicals and more than one ton of water to manufacture and distribute a computer and monitor to the marketplace. However, more than 70 percent of the E-Waste collected through recycling can be repurposed into new products or raw materials. To illustrate this: for every one million cell phones recycled, more than 35,000 pounds of copper, 700 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold are recovered.
To complement curbside collections, the Division of Environmental Health and Protection accepts recyclable material from residents throughout the year. In addition to electronic devices, the facilities accept aluminum, cardboard and paper supplies, plastics, clothing and textiles and much more. To learn more ways that the division helps the citizens and businesses of St. Charles County, please call 636-949-1800 or visit www.sccmo.org/environmental.
The St. Charles County Department of Public Health is committed to the protection and enhancement of health and the quality of life for all members of our community. Through three divisions — Environmental Health and Protection, Health Services and Humane Services — the department provides a wide range of services that have a profound impact on the lives of St. Charles County’s residents and visitors. To discover ways that the department assists this region or to learn about volunteer opportunities with any of the divisions, please visit http://www.sccmo.org/PublicHealth or call 636-949-7400.
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