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Earth Protection Services, Inc. can help organize a
community recycling event to reduce the amount of E-Waste going into
landfills. The average computer or television monitor contains 4-8
lbs. of lead and some states are banning them from municipal landfills.
Monitors and TV's are regulated because of lead in the glass picture
tubes. Plastic cases, circuit boards, metal components and copper
wire are removed and recycled. Glass is utilized as a fluxing agent
in smelting. Lead can also be used as a component of new batteries.
If a community or organization is planning to collect
computers/electronics from the public as part of a community wide recycling
effort, there are several things that need to be done in the planning
process:
Ensure that the organization can find a minimum of
10- 20 volunteers to help at the event. The number of volunteers needed
is larger for larger communities.
Plan ahead for a rain-day. Secure the same or another
site in case the planned event is rained out and have signs and
promotional materials prepared for this.
Provide plenty of time for announcing the event to
the media, residents of the community, businesses and others to be
included in the collection event. Contact schools, churches, and chamber
of commerce to help get the word out.
Provide flyers detailing the event that can be placed
in mail-outs to the public, at major electronics stores, or at other
locations where the public will shop.
If possible, setup as much as can be done the
afternoon/night prior to the event. This will help to avoid confusion
and last minute issues and problems on the morning of the event.
Plan to have some of the volunteers arrive well in
advance in case some people arrive prior to the actual time for
acceptance of the electronics.
Use local volunteers to help in the collection event.
Local scout troops could be solicited and the event used by one or more
scouts in an effort to get their Eagle Scout Badge. Rotary or Lions
Clubs or other civic or church organizations are other options.
The collection site needs to have a sizeable parking
lot such as a church, shopping center or stadium area. This will allow
traffic flow to move one way starting from the entrance area through the
collection area and out through the exit area. Traffic cones and
brightly colored high strength tape should be used to keep the traffic
confined to this traffic flow area and to prevent premature exiting or
worst, turning around into the flow of traffic. The traffic flow area
should be of sufficient width to allow a car to pass another vehicle
within the collection areas, but narrow enough to prevent someone from
turning around.
There should be one or two volunteers near the
entrance area and another at the exit area to help direct drivers
arriving/departing.
There should be two volunteers at a neutral area
between the entrance area and collection area to briefly make contact
with the driver. These volunteers should be stationed far enough from
the entrance area so that cars and trucks arriving to the event do not
become backed up on the street from which they are turning off. At this
station the volunteer(s) should briefly quiz the driver on what
specifically they are bringing for recycling, provide the driver with a
"Recycling Education Flyer," instruct the driver to unlock the area of
the vehicle where the electronics are located and request that the
driver remain in their vehicle at all times and allow the volunteers to
unload the equipment. The volunteer(s) can then direct the driver
towards the electronics unloading area.
Drivers would then move to the electronics unloading
area where various volunteers would remove only computers,
faxes/printers/scanners/laptops, video recorders/CD players/audio
equipment and computer cabling. In addition, cardboard boxes that some
of the electronics are in should be removed at this point for recycling
or cutting up.
Computers and monitors should be processed and stored
on pallets. Laptops, scanners, printers/faxes should be processed and
stored in Gaylord boxes on pallets; video recorders/CD players/audio
equipment should be processed and stored in Gaylord boxes on pallets;
and cabling/keyboards and other similar hardware should be processed and
stored in Gaylord boxes on pallets.
Volunteers manning each of the processing areas and
collection trailers should take electronics being handed to them by
other volunteers and place the electronic device on pallets or in
Gaylord boxes located beside or in the trailer. Storage of computer CPUs
are best when placed directly on pallets and then shrink-wrapped after
40 CPU's are in place. The pallet can then be loaded with a fork-lift
into the trailer. When wrapping the shrink-wrap around the pallet of
CPU's, start the wrap at the pallet on one of the corner edges to ensure
there is a place for it to grab onto. Then begin to wrap horizontally
around the pallet of CPU's and slightly overlapping the previous wrap
until you get to the top. Then repeat the procedure back down to the
bottom of the pallet and end at one of the corners. Do this same
procedure with separate pallets of monitors. Computer monitors should be
loaded onto pallets with the glass facing down, the base of the monitor
directed in towards the interior of the pallet, the power cord still
attached and placed towards the center of the pallet and a layer of
cardboard between each layer of monitors including the bottom layer.
Generally, 36 monitors can be stored on one pallet. For detailed
information on processing and stocking equipment on pallets, contact us.
Volunteers unloading the electronics from the vehicle
and transporting them to the volunteers at the processing area and
collection trailer should only be doing that activity. That way each
person has an assigned duty and the process flows efficiently. At some
point there may be a decision to have volunteers switch assignments.
This should only be done if they are fully aware of what the new job is
they will be doing so to keep everything consistent and uniform.
Once the vehicle is unloaded of all computers and
electronics, the driver should be directed towards one of the volunteers
near the exit area.
Two volunteers near the exit area should ask the
driver to voluntarily answer 4 or 5 quick questions regarding the
recycling collection event. Upon conclusion of the questions, the
volunteer would direct the driver to the exit and thank the driver
for their participation. This can also be done while the driver is
stopped at the unloading area.
The event should be held on a Saturday and occur from
8:00am to 2:00pm.
Advance Planning Needs
Traffic Control Needs
·
Acquire the usage of a large parking lot for the event
·
Traffic cones – 2 each for every 8 feet of the driving area from the
entrance to the exit
·
Traffic control tape (orange/yellow) - to mark off areas or
control/limit traffic activity in various areas of the event
·
Signage for entrance and exit areas – there should be a sign for
both the entrance and exit area of the event and the sign should be
marked on both sides
· Large
sign(s) at the road alerting the public of the event
·
Location for volunteers to park their vehicles at a safe distance
away from the event
On-site Processing Needs
·
Shrink-wrap - 100 mil @ 20" x 1000', 2 roller/handles
·
Gaylord boxes – 10 or 12 - these are heavy duty corrugated boxes
that are approximately 3' X 3' X 4'
·
Wooden Pallets - 40" x 48"
·
Fork-lift and pallet jack,
· Heavy
duty nylon tape
·
Masking tape
·
Gloves for those unloading and processing the electronics
·
Safety vest
·
Utility knives (2 to 3) and extra blades to cut apart cardboard
boxes - cardboard sheets the size of a pallet should be used between
each layer of computer monitors.
·
Trailers for storage of computers/electronics – 28 foot trailer or
53 foot trailer
· Signs
on Gaylord boxes – Computers Only, Faxes/Printers, Scanners/Laptops
Only, Misc. Equipment only; Cabling/keyboards/mice only; and
Monitors Only. NOTE: It is preferable to place electronic
units on pallets and shrink-wrap rather than putting them into
boxes. Computer cabling and other hardware can be collected and
stored in boxes.
· Three
or four 55-gallon drum trash receptacles in collection areas
· Small
wagons - to place electronics into from vehicles so they can be
quickly and safely transported to the processing area
Personnel Needs
·
Folding chairs for volunteers in each of the areas and for the lunch
area
·
Folding tables for snacks, drinks and from which to eat (5 or 6
tables)
· First
aid kit, sunblock, insect repellent
·
Water, sodas and snacks for volunteers
· Lunch
for volunteers
· Ice
chests or large plastic buckets for icing down water and sodas
· Bags
of ice
· Hats
and T-shirts for volunteers
·
Port-A-John (2 or 3) or other bathroom facilities
·
Tarped area for volunteers on sunny or rainy days
· Paper
towels and disinfectant wipes
Supply Needs
· Fact
sheet on electronics recycling – to be given to drivers as they
enter
·
Educational flyer on recycling – to be given to drivers as they
enter
·
Clipboards and pens – provided to volunteers doing exit surveys
· Exit
survey (250 copies) – This is a survey of about 4 or 5 short
questions to be filled out by the volunteer and questions provided
verbally to the driver and them responding before exiting
·
Gaylord boxes – One for recycling cardboard, and one for trash
· Name
tags
· Trash
bags
·
Colored plastic tape, masking tape and duct tape – several rolls
· Free
new computer for lucky participant (optional)
·
Recycling bins for aluminum cans and plastic soda bottles generated
by volunteers
·
Camera and film to document event
·
Colored magic markers
·
Information sheet for recording the quantities of each type of
electronic delivered to the event
· Tools
- Flathead and Phillips screwdrivers and pliers
This information
was developed by the Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Program at the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. |
